The game of champions is upon us this weekend, and since I do not have a proverbial dog in the upcoming football finale, I have been nominated (shanghaied?) to host the big party for this year’s Super Bowl festivities at my house.
Because most of my friends have some emotional investment in the game — both of the teams I was rooting for were eliminated during the playoffs — I get to play Switzerland, providing a safe, neutral territory for Saints and Colts fans to congregate … and drink my wine.
Even though beer long has been the king of sports outings and football tailgates, more consumers are turning to fancier game-time spreads and, therefore, wine appears to be gaining in popularity. And anyone who plans on coming to my house for the Big Show knows he should either bring his own beer or suffer mightily with my wine snobbery.
So this brings me to the dilemma of which wines to serve? After all, I want my guests to know that I put a little thought into my wine selections beyond just the appropriate food-and-wine pairings (what does one pair with pigs-in-a-blanket?). But how to chose wines without choosing sides? Well, I just decided to make sure that each side had wines that that could show their true colors — and I am not talking about white versus red. I am talking about, of course, Saints versus Colts (or, in this case, horses).
As soon as the final teams were selected, I started tasting through a variety of wines that I thought could represent each team. However, since wines from Louisiana and Indiana are not readily available in our area, I decided to choose the wines based on something in the wine’s name fans could identify with.
It turns out that picking wines with “saint” in the name is easy — there are entire wine regions named after one saint or another. But finding wines with “colts” in the name is a horse of a different color. Therefore, I expanded my search to include horse-related themes. But I am sure that my Colts-crazy guests will appreciate my attempt to provide delicious options inside a broader category.
My plan is to have one set of wines — Colts (or Horses) versus Saints (or Angels) — on opposite sides of the room with a bottle of 2008 Robert Gilliard Fendant Les Murettes Chasselas ($28) wine in the middle. It is, after all, from Switzerland. Retail prices are approximate.
Wines for Saints fans
2007 Two Hands Angel’s Share Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia ($30)
This wine is BIG, with a massive nose of black cherry, grilled meat and smoky bacon. The palate is bold and impressive, featuring notes of black plum, blueberry jam, dark cherry and mocha. Hints of black pepper, licorice and five-spice linger on the expansive finish.
2008 Fallen Angel Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand ($30)
If the Saints don’t come marching in and you need to drown your sorrows, you might as well do it in style with this beautifully crafted pinot noir. Elegant scents of cherry and strawberry elevate the bouquet while flavors of dark cherry and red plum glide across the palate. The round mouthfeel features notes of dark strawberry and orange blossom on the lingering finish supported by graceful tannins.
2006 Chateau Saint Jean “Cinq Cepages” Sonoma County, Calif. ($75)
If you really want to celebrate in style, then try this red wine blend made from the traditional Bordeaux five-grape varietals (cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. The open bouquet is packed with scents of ripe blackberry, dried flowers and mocha. Flavors of blackberry jam, blueberry liqueur, dark plums and cassis are in perfect harmony with the soft tannins and abundant acidity, leading to a layered finish featuring hints of cigar box and clove.
Wines for Colts fans
2007 Wild Horse Winery Pinot Noir, Central Coast, Calif. ($18)
This big pinot noir is full of violets, cedar, cherry and cocoa scents on the fragrant nose. The full-bodied mouthfeel is warm and well-rounded with lots of dark cherry fruit up front and supported by notes of cinnamon, clove and allspice on the supple finish.
2007 Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvedre Barossa Valley, Australia ($18)
A powerful nose of cassis, black olive and pepper scents fills out the bouquet on this meaty red wine blend. Jammy flavors of black raspberry, cassis and ripe plum squat on the tongue with weight while notes of Asian spices and black pepper build on the medium-bodied finish.
2007 Mazzocco Winery “Pony” Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, Calif. ($35)
If you’re looking to pony up your taste buds, this wine will definitely reward them. Bold scents of wild cherry and blueberry dominate the nose while big, juicy flavors of blueberry liqueur, cherry cola and dark strawberry notes fill out the well-balanced palate. Spicy acidity keeps the fruit-forward flavors in check throughout the bright finish.
