Make no mistake — I really like beer. And I know that the party beverage of choice for the majority of Super Bowl get-togethers is usually reserved for the realm of finely crafted brews. After all, just look at all of the money mega-brewers spend on advertising during the big game and you get a sense that they know the day belongs to them. But this year, you can break out of the routine game plan and pair your Super Bowl treats with some super wines for a more upscale affair. In our house, we rarely need an excuse to reach for the corkscrew over the bottle opener, but when the cooking is elevated from chow to cuisine, the decision is a no-brainer. Wine will win the day every time. But what wine we select is always predicated on the menu we’re preparing. This Super Bowl, we’re taking a page out of Food Network’s playbook (foodnetwork.com/big-game/package/index.html) and preparing some delectable bites to enjoy with wines between downs. Of course, we’ll take a time-out during commercial breaks to enjoy the beer commercials. Retail prices are approximate.

We’re kicking off our Super Bowl with a super bowl of guacamole. Yes, you can pair wine with this popular dip. While the avocado provides richness and the spices add heat, it’s the acidity from the lime juice that I want to play off of. While the crisp acidity found in sauvignon blanc would make it a good choice, I think the addition of palate-cleansing bubbles is the way to go. So the wine I want to dip my chips with is the non-vintage Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva Heredad, Spain ($23). Its bubbles shout “party” and spread lively notes of fresh pineapple, roasted nuts and ripe pear flavor over the whole tongue. And the bubbles keep the palate fresh and ready for the next scoop of guacamole.