How to Serve Wine Like a Pro at Your Super Bowl Party Forget trying to pair something with chips and guacamole. Instead, put out a lot of what you like.
By Tracy Byrnes
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Thankfully, more and more people are drinking wine at their Super Bowl parties. So if you're hosting, you better make sure you're pulling some corks.
But this notion that you need to have one wine that pairs with the guacamole, another that pairs with the hot wings and finally something that works with the pizza is just crazy.
I don't know what goes on at your Super Bowl parties, but there's no time for all that at mine.
We just want to drink, watch the commercials and wait for another wardrobe malfunction at halftime.
So in the interest of being efficient, I asked some wine pros to pick one wine that would work great with all that different food.
But the beauty of wine these days is that anything goes! I asked seven different people and got seven different suggestions. So pick what you like. There is no right or wrong here – maybe just consider offering a white and a red.
Whites
Riesling
"A Riesling would probably pair the best with the wide range of foods," says Sharon Sevrens, sommelier and owner of Amanti Vino wine shop in Montclair, N.J.
And the Dr. Konstantin Frank Semi Dry Riesling is a great choice at $15, says Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, a Master of Wine who manages the wine team at Wine Ring.
Related: How Pisco Went From Obscure South American Drink to American Sensation
Bubbles
You can always do bubbles, says Jessica Norris, wine director at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse in New York City. (Norris was recently included in Wine Enthusiast's list of America's Top 40 under 40 Tastemakers list.
"It'll pair super-well with all the food, though I just can't imagine a bunch of boys in football jerseys sipping from flutes," she says. Great visual though.
And it's always good to have around when you're team wins. "I hope to be drinking champagne as I celebrate my Broncos," says Sevrens.
Reds
Lambrusco
I love that Joe Campanale, executive beverage director/co-founder of the Epicurean Group, suggested Lambrusco because it is underrated and one of my favorites.
It's basically red wine with effervescence. It's light, zesty, and with an alcohol level of about 11 percent, you'll last the whole game. It also is relatively acidic, so it will go great with all that with greasy food.
And, yes, real men do drink bubbly red wines.
Pinot Noir
This is such a versatile wine. It'll work great with all your pickings. "I feel like a fruity Oregon Pinot Noir without a lot of tannins would be the most versatile choice," says Sevrens, if you're looking to get specific.
Related: Why the American Wine Industry Needs a Shakeup
Zinfandel
"Superbowl parties are sort of like BBQs, so a good Zinfandel will get it done," says Norris.
And for the money, I'm a huge fan of the Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel at around $20.
Brunello
We have talked before about why you should back the truck up on the 2010 Brunellos, so why not pull out one of those bottles on game day?
"The 2010 vintage has such a salty savoriness that pairs well with your favorite Super Bowl foods," says Andrew McMurray, vice president at Zachys Wine & Liquor in Scarsdale, N.Y., who will be drinking the the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino La Rasina that day.
Chianti
If your Super Bowl party food has an Italian flair, as mine does (pizza, mozzarella, bruschetta), grab a good Chianti, suggests Gino Colangelo, president of Colangelo & Partners, one of the largest fine-wine focused public relations agencies in the country.
The Marchesi de Frescobaldi Nippozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina is one of my favorites.
Red Blend
Or just grab a red blend, suggests Gary Fisch, owner of Gary's Wine & Marketplace in New Jersey. Then you have the palates of most of your guests covered.
Fisch suggests the 2013 Fog Mountain Field Blend because it's a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, and Petite Syrah and will work with just about everything.
So pick one or two bottles and be done. And then go focus on the game -- or the commercials, like me.