Wine and Football
I enjoy watching football and I am as happy as the next person that our Chicago Bears made it to the playoffs but I won’t try to fool you – pretty much all I know is that the Bears are hosting the Seahawks this Sunday and hopefully this game goes much better than the last. What I can help you with is selecting what wines and beers to pair with your chicken wings, guacamole, burgers and other playoff menu items you might be indulging in this weekend.
The burger: When trying to pair a wine with a burger it’s really all about the toppings; do you like strong blu cheese, smothering it in sweet ketchup or like to add heat with jalapenos, these toppings are really what you’re pairing. For our sake let’s go with a traditional ground chuck burger, American cheese, grilled onions and lettuce. The 2006 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone is Syrah 50%, Grenache 40% and Mouvedre 10% and retails for $14.00. The wine offers fresh fruits with red berries and spices on the nose. Full-bodied and rich on the palate the wine has a long finish of balanced tannins and fruit. The savory mouth feel and bright fruits make it a great wine to pair with a burger.
Guacamole: The recipe for guac in our house is simple: a couple avocados, lots of fresh cilantro, a few ripe tomatoes (diced and separated from the juice and seeds) a jalapeno pepper, salt and pepper to taste with lots of fresh lime juice. With this rich and fresh dish a full bodied white works well. 2009 Vina Mein at $20.00 a bottle from Spain is a great bottle. A very aromatic white it is a blend of various Galician grapes. The wine is dry and its crisp expression of fruit helps it stand up to the guacamole.
BBQ: Now my favorite is the North Carolina style pulled pork which is mustard and vinegar based. I would pair a fruity Pinot Noir or savory Cabernet Franc but unfortunately you just don’t see much of that style BBQ around here. We’ll assume you might be making a sweet, smoky and spicy sauce which a fruit forward Cabernet Sauvignon from California would be the right wine. 2008 Broadside Margarita Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $19.00 a bottle, offers black currants and spice right off the nose and on the palate has an abundant of intense fruit such as red and black berry and plum. A very fresh and balanced wine that will pair well with most BBQ dishes.
The Veggie Plate: Maybe you’re still going strong and sticking to your New Year’s resolutions of treating your body like a temple. Well after you get back from your 10 mile run through the snow, wind and ice why not enjoy a glass of zesty 2009 Beckmen Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, $16.00 a bottle. It’s clean and fresh with great acidity that works well with crudités and the sugars and carbs will help your body reload! Right?
Join us Thursday January 13th and/or Friday January 14th 4pm -7.00pm as we taste these and other great party wines, beers and cheeses, crackers, dips and other tasty snacks to serve this weekend. Don’t forget we always offer a 10% full or mixed case discount! We’ll see you soon at 726 Elm Street.
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