It’s estimated that the US loses $4 billion in productivity due to the post-Super Bowl, um, we’ll say absenteeism 😉. There’s a movement afoot to make the Monday after the big game a holiday, but until that day comes, we say don’t let that productivity perish in vain.
The best way to do that is by savoring every sip we take on Super Bowl Sunday—which means having perfect pairings at the ready.
Appetizers
You’ve only got two hands. One is holding a floppy paper plate laden with cocktail franks, potato skins, mozzarella sticks, and jalapeño poppers—so what do you want in the other? A wine of maximum versatility and refreshment, that’s what. And for that, nothing beats bubbles. Sparkling wine is your Saquon, your workhorse, and should be your first look when you’ve got a tough pairing task.
NV Langlois Brut Reserve Cremant de Loire – $24
NV Corazza Prosecco Extra Dry Treviso Italy – $16
NV Maurice Grumier O ma Vallee Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Champagne – $45
Cheese and Charcuterie
OK, let’s say you love the game but reject football’s Velveeta-and-Cool-Ranch culture, so you decide to go full country club with cheese and charcuterie. We say go all-in with a bottle of Champagne—it doesn’t get any fancier than that, and bubbly won’t break stride when your friend who didn’t get the memo shows up with Flaming Hot Cheetos. And since a Super Bowl party with Camembert is likely to have filet mignon coming off the grill at halftime, we recommend bringing in a hearty California Cab to complete the point-after.
2018 M. Brugnon Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne – $55
2019 Hoopes Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville – $99
Pizza & Wings
Unless you’ve got big money riding on the coin toss, the most exciting pre-game moment comes when you’re assessing the spread—and we consider any party without pizza AND wings a Leon Lett-sized Super Bowl blunder. We’ll take an icy German Riesling to cool off the Frank’s Red Hot on the wings, and while we’ll be happy to see a great NY-style pie on the table, we’ll be thrilled if there’s an Argentine red somewhere in the room. Be sure to get a good amount of food in your belly early: As the head coaches are likely telling the teams in the locker rooms, this is gonna be a long day.
2022 Weingut Okonomierat Rebholz Riesling Vom Rotliegenden Birkweiler Pfalz – $55
2021 Marcelo Pelleriti Malbec Signature Uco Valley Mendoza – $19
Six-Foot Subs & Chips
“A few more feet, and I can fit it in the fridge.” –Homer Simpson
We don’t recommend you take down a leftover sub by yourself like Homer, but we do recommend taking part of whatever the sub, hoagie, or grinder—all Super Bowl standbys—has to offer. Since a table-length sando could contain anything from mild turkey and cheese to spicy salami, your wine, like a defense trying to contain Patrick Mahomes, must be ready for anything. That’s why we’d opt for lively high-acid whites like Sauvignon Blanc, as well as do-it-all reds like Pinot Noir.
2022 Ronsard La Pleiade Sancerre – $19
2023 Maison Noir Wines O.P.P. Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – $22
Tacos & Nachos
“We gotta match their intensity.” -Every football coach ever
Who knew that what our crew-cutted coach shouted in our faces before our high school games would come in handy in the wine world? Well, turns out that intensity-matching is just as essential at your Super Bowl soirée as it is on the gridiron. That’s why when dealing with spicy foods like nachos and tacos, we opt for wines that can hold the line. It doesn’t necessarily mean brawn: the acidity of a nice, rich Riesling or a smoky, perfectly aged Spanish Red will do the trick.
2018 Smith-Madrone Riesling Spring Mountain – $32
2007 Bodegas Manzanos Gran Reserva Rioja – $29
Burgers and Hot Dogs
We’ve all got ‘em: football friends who pride themselves on being too salt-of-the-earth to partake in a craft beer, let alone engage with the highbrow wine world. But we firmly believe that once our blue-collar buddies chase a juicy burger or hot dog with a Rhône or Napa red blend, they’ll never go back to Natural Light.
2022 Stephane Ogier Le Temps Est Venu Cotes du Rhone Rhone Valley – $22
2021 Coho Headwaters Proprietary Red Wine Napa Valley – $42
Smoked Meats
Smoked: It’s bad if you’re talking about a corner getting beat on a post route, but good if it means your host has had a ten-pound brisket tenderizing in his Big Green Egg overnight. We say, where there’s smoke, add more: That’s why we love Syrah to hang with meats that have seen open flame. And of course, when meat’s coming off the grill, vibrant Zinfandel is always a bottle you want on your team.
2019 Three Wine Company Zinfandel Old Vines Contra Costa County – $24
2022 Tensley Syrah Santa Barbara County – $60
Fried Chicken
Despite the fact that it can make your fickle fingers fumble a precious bottle, we still love fried chicken for the big game—just don’t let it throw your palate for a loss. That’s why we recommend wines that take fats head-on. Bubbles, Champagne or otherwise, are the ultimate fat-sacker, so be sure to have a few on the roster. Other high-acid whites, like Sauvignon Blanc, can also cleanse your palate for the next play.
2019 Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs Brut North Coast California – $45
