Ah yes, the big game is in a couple of days and you are having a small gathering. But you just realized you don’t know what you are doing…you don’t even know who is playing in the Super Bowl this year because you checked out after your beloved Seattle Seahawks weren’t even in the playoffs. Well, we got you covered to make sure you are the hostess with the mostess! Here is our nitty gritty guide to Super Bowl LII…
Super Bowl LII (52) will take place in Minneapolis, MN at the new US Bank Stadium, which will feature the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the New England Patriots with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 pm. So now you are caught up on the football side of things, but what about the food and wine situation? Well there are a couple of different routes to go, but we suggest having a theme with your food. What kind of theme? How about cuisine from the two cities?! Both regions have iconic fare and trust us that this will wow your guests!
Even though this is not an official holiday, it is one of the biggest wine and food days of the year. So make sure you have your food and drinks planned out with your grocery list ready to go. What kind of food do we suggest if we are sticking with our ‘city’ theme? Well here are some ideas that sound good to us…
Food: You can’t get anymore Philly than a cheesesteak right?! Fairly easy to fix and can be a great appetizer or halftime dish (more on this later).
Wine: Merlot would be a nice choice here…soft with good acid and fruit to complement the salty cheese and beef.
Food: Soft Pretzels, another Philly stable, makes for a great game day snack. Soft, buttery, with a little bit of salt…and don’t forget the cheese sauce for dipping!
Wine: We would have to recommend a Chardonnay here (probably a Californian)…big, soft, buttery…se any similarities to the pretzel?!
Food: Chicago has their deep dish, New York has their thin crust, but Philadelphia has their tomato pie. Similar to Sicilian pizza with a thick focaccia like crust, tomato sauce and a light dusting of cheese…pretty simple, but yummy!
Wine: Since pizza has its Italian heritage it only makes sense to drink Italian too! Sangiovese would be our choice here with its complimentary acidity and tomato/fruity flavors.
     Food: Boston Baked Beans…you got to have your beans on game day! Earthy and a little sweetness from the molasses…maybe even some bacon crumbles!
     Wine: We suggest an Pinot Noir…fruity, earthy and so good with food…this will be a heavenly match. Â
     Food: Steamed lobster with golden clarified butter, buckets of clams and mussels, shell-on shrimp, freshly shucked corn on the cob, boiled potatoes, smoked sausage, crusty bread and something to wash it all down.
     Wine: Something…but what? How about a finesse Chardonnay! When we say finesse we mean medium bodied and no oak (or very little). This allows the brightness in the wine to shine. Not a Chardonnay fan, how about a bright and fresh Sauvignon Blanc…perfect for seafood!
      Food: Can’t think of New England without thinking of clam chowder. There are lots of variations of this soup, but we are talking the thick stuff that is hearty on cold winter days.
     Wine: Chardonnay seems to be a big winner with the food with the rest of food we choose, but a full bodied, opulent, oaked Chardonnay is dreamy with homemade chowder.
You’ve got the food ready, but before your guests show up, make sure all your serving and eating utensils and dishes are ready to go. Open up those wines that may need a little more time to breathe and open up. Make sure the whites and rosés are chilled and that you have enough glassware for everybody. If it’s a larger party make sure to have some wine charms for the glasses so that guests can make sure to find their glass. Also make sure that pitchers of water are set out…moderation is key in making it through the whole game…and home safely.
Get the party started right as guests arrive offer them a glass of sparkling wine, which always sets a festive mood. You don’t have to break the bank here as you can find a wonderful Cava from Spain or Prosecco from Italy under $20. One of the great things about sparkling wine is that it goes great with salty party foods…chips, popcorn, party mix and crackers. For those that are not huge sparkling fans offer those guests a crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. For the red fans how about a lighter Pinot Noir, which goes nicely with game day snacks.
If your crew hasn’t filled up on all the other snacks, at halftime, bring your guests together and put on your own show with a ‘build your own bar.’ If you are using our food recommendations above this could be a clam chowder bar with a multitude of toppings…bacon crumbles, a variety of shredded cheeses, croutons and green or red onion. Don’t forget the option of providing bread bowls…after all it is the Super Bowl. Another option would be a build your own cheesesteak bar. You could have variety of breads, rolls, cheese, lettuce and other condiments.
Despite the outcome of the game, everybody will want some dessert to satisfy their sweet tooth. Cupcakes are a great options that can be made ahead of time…and who doesn’t love a good cupcake?! If you are a coconut or vanilla person we recommend a little glass of a late harvest wine to pair it with. Lemon cupcake fans…try a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Riesling with their lemony flavors. Chocolate cupcakes fans…try a Port to match those mocha and nutty flavors. Don’t forget the pot of coffee for those who need it!
ACID - A compound present in all grapes and an essential component of wine that preserves it, enlivens and shapes its flavors and helps prolong its aftertaste. There are four major kinds of acids--tartaric, malic, lactic and citric--found in wine. Acid is identifiable by the crisp, sharp character it imparts to a wine.
HERBACEOUS - Describes the aromas and flavors of herbs in a wine. A plus in many wines such as Sauvignon Blanc and, to a lesser extent, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Herbal is a synonym, though when the concentration of the aroma is high, and becomes less than pleasant, the term herbaceous is often used.
PALATE - The flavor or taste of a wine; also referred to as different sections of taste in the mouth. As the wine travels through the mouth, it first contacts the front palate, then the midpalate and finally the back palate, all which can process different tastes, such as sweet, sour and bitter.
There are 100,000 acres of vineyards of Chardonnay in California, the state’s most widely planted grape. Despite its status today, Chardonnay was once quite rare in California. In the mid 1960s, there were fewer than 200 acres in the whole state. Today, Chardonnay is also the most popular varietal wine in the U.S., accounting for approximately 20% of table wine sales at retail stores.
*Taken from Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible
"The best wines are those that take you through themselves and out into another world that you could not have gotten to on your own. Great wine has a strange subterranean current of beauty. It is not something you can summon from a wine; but a great wine can take you there."
 --Terry Theise, wine importer and author
Featured Wine of the Month: 2014 Petite Sirah
Vineyard Site: Estate Unit 7 Vineyard
Tasting Notes: Only our second ever varietal Petite Sirah wine! Neither petite nor Syrah, this varietal comes from a past as dark as the wines it produces. DNA fingerprinting has made this the same grape as Durif in France, but it is more commonly referred to as Petite Sirah here in the US. The 2014 Petite Sirah’s inky purple color with dark garnet tones in the glass foretells the dark, rich aromas and flavors. A powerful nose of cocoa powder and burnt caramel lead to juicy blueberry pie, concentrated dark plum and ripe blackberry. The palate is focused and full bodied with flavors of extracted dark cherry, blackberry preserves, ripe Marionberry and more fresh blueberry pie. Bold flavors are underlined with nuances of sweet vanilla and minerality all wrapped up in muscular tannins and lively acidity. Young at heart this wine will age gracefully and will benefit with an hour decanting.