Wine Pairings: 🏈 Game day Snacks

The NFL is back, which, for me at least, means either snack-filled Sundays on the couch watching RedZone, or spending game day at a bar noshing and drinking. While finger foods aren’t an immediate pair with wine (anxiety and OCD kicking in imagining greasy finger prints all over wine glasses), there’s no reason your snack game shouldn’t be complimented by perfectly-paired wines. Why not?!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

LOVE! Spinach and artichoke dip! It’s cheesy, creamy and healthy(? - spinach???). That creaminess calls for a wine with high acidity to cut through the cream. The wine should be somewhat tart to match the tanginess of the dip.

A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc would pair perfectly here - the fresh citrus flavors and grassiness would match perfectly (though a Sancerre or a fruitier Sauvignon Blanc works just as well!) with the dip’s rich and creaminess.

Try: Tussock Jumper Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Our household is impartial to Buffalo Chicken Dip. It’s buttery, creamy, spicy and cheesy. We make ours relatively spicy with a heavy pour of Frank’s Red Hot. That being said, the heat requires a pairing to mitigate it’s attack. A sweeter wine, whose higher acidity will cut through the butter and fattiness (literal melted butter and fatty chicken) bodes well here.

Riesling or a Gewürztraminer would compliment Buffalo Chicken Dip well. A Gewürztraminer has crisp acidity mirrors the tangy heat, and one with notes of stone fruit can compliment the savory flavors.

Try: Navarro Vineyards Dry Gewürztraminer 2021

Fried Chicken

Who doesn’t love a crunchy, salty piece of tender, fried chicken? Inevitably fried chicken typically calls for some french fries, right? Luckily a sparkling wine or champagne is the perfect beverage to cut through all of that salt and oil. The crispy bubbles not only accentuate the food, but also provides a nice reprieve from all of that salt and oily goodness.

Price-wise, Champagne can standout at a tailgate / game day spread. For something a little more wallet-friendly, look for a Crémant, perfect for those with Champagne taste on a beer budget. Crémant is a group of sparkling wines made with the same technique as a Champagne, but outside of the Champagne region. French rigorous wine laws for Crémant are slightly less stringent for those in Champagne.

Try: Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve Champagne N.V. or JCB(Jean-Charles Boisset) No. 69 Rosé Burgundy N.V.

Wings

BBQ

The classic BBQ chicken wing can vary quite a bit - sweeter, more dense, lighter, more spicy, there’s a sauce for everyone. In any case, you’ll need a wine to complement the tomatoes, cayenne, chili and other spices in the sauce. While not typically a pairing for chicken, a Cabernet Franc or maybe a Petite Sirah (for sweeter BBQ) is medium-bodied with red and black fruit flavors that could match the BBQ sauce. High tannins cut through any heat or spice, while the herbal notes compliment the savory parts of the sauce. The dryness of the wine offset the sweetness of the brown sugar and molasses.

Try: Calcu Cabernet Franc (Reserva Especial)

Honey Garlic / Honey Soy

Instead of going for the heat, honey garlic / honey soy wings pack a flavor punch. Sweet, savory, tangy and umami, all in one bite. Because they have such big and bold flavors, it’s best to avoid a wine that competes with these aromas and tastes, and instead find something that elevates the flavors further, without overpowering them (or your tastebuds). Again, a Sparkling Rosé, Prosecco or Crémant would be a perfect choice here!

Try: Domaine Mittnacht Frères Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé 2018

Pizza

A spread is not complete without a few slices of pizza from your local spot (shoutout to Made In New York Pizza in the West Village!). It’s a crowd pleaser, and, if you’re short on time and energy (or hell, if you just don’t want to prep/cook!), it’s a hassel-free option. No matter the toppings, pizzas always have some tomato sauce situation that calls for a beverage with high acidity (to match the acid in tomatoes). A versatile wine for this would be a Barbera - it’s dry and high acidity complement the pizza base, while it’s tasting notes of cherries, red fruits, black fruits, and tobacco, give the wine enough complexity to complement an array of pizza toppings.

Try: Brovia Sorì del Drago Barbera d’Alba

Burgers/Sliders

Another classic pairing like Champagne and fried chicken, beef burgers and a Cabernet Sauvignon are another staple. A good burger is juicy, meaty, cheesy and flavor packed. The bold flavors of a burger call for a bold flavored wine like a Cabernet. It’s dark fruit notes and complex earthy undertones match the rich, umami flavors in the beef burger. The wine’s tannins meld with the protein and fat, balancing the meal so it doesn’t feel too heavy.

Try: Turnbull Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Look, at the end of the day you can’t go wrong with any game day food and wine. A few things to keep in mind for pairings for game day foods:

Try not to mix high / low - a $1 slice doesn’t need a $40 Barbera. A wine is best enjoyed with foods of it’s similar status (plus, you want to feel good about it too!).

Mirroring - Delicate foods plus a delicate wine, or bold foods and a bold juicy wine is a good rule of thumb. Likewise, a buttery dip could go well with a buttery Chardonnay. An aromatic Riesling could contend well with an aromatic, spicy dish.

High-acid + salty = 👌 - Highly acidic wines like sparkling wines, Riesling, Sherry or Chianti (to name a few) work really well with salty dishes - think chips, salty cheeses.