Spice up game day with Wine Guide and Guest Blogger Julie Posey’s top four tailgate food and wine pairings, perfectly chosen for your next football Sunday afternoon.
Football season is kicking off… and where there is football, there is tailgate food! If I’m being honest – most of the time, I’m not really there for the game, I’m there for the snacks. Please tell me I’m not the only one?! There’s no better excuse than game day to make all of your favorite comfort foods—and of course, with food there must be wine, right?
Don’t drop the ball—check out these wine and tailgate food pairing ideas for your next football gathering!
Ham and Cheese Sliders with Jitterbug
Sliders are a game day staple. Prep these sandwiches the night before the big game to allow the butter mixture to soak into the Hawaiian sweet rolls. While you’re at it, toss a bottle of our 2021 Jitterbug Sauvignon Blanc from California in the fridge the night before so it has plenty of time to chill. Jitterbug is a medium bodied, dry white wine with notes of pineapple and tropical fruit on the palate. The perfect teammate for ham and cheese sliders!
Click Here for Ham and Cheese Sliders Recipe
Pepperoni Pizza Cheeseball with Tanglerose
You can’t go wrong with a cheeseball on game day – especially one that is in the shape of a football! How fun is that!? The pepperoni, bacon, and cheese make a great matchup for our full-bodied Tanglerose Backyard Red, a dry blend from California. The meats in this cheeseball will help neutralize the tannins in the wine, complimenting the wine and making it very smooth and delicious! Serve up your cheeseball with crackers, pretzels, or veggies – snack and sip away!
Click Here for Pepperoni Pizza Cheeseball Recipe
Jalapeño Popper Dip with Smirk
When serving a dish that has some heat, pair it up with something sweet! A twist on the classic game day favorite, Jalapeño Popper Dip is super easy to throw together and is guaranteed to be a hit—especially when paired with our semi-sweet fan favorite, 2021 Smirk Muscat from South Africa. With notes of mandarin orange and citrus, Smirk will be the perfect balance for the spice of this dip. This wine is hands down my number one draft pick for game day. It’s versatile and pairs great with appetizer foods. It is a wine that can easily be shared among friends no matter if their preference is dry wine or sweet wine.
Click Here for Jalapeño Dip Recipe
Buckeyes with Luxx Merlot
Being from the great state of Ohio (Go Bucks!), a game day is not complete without candy Buckeyes. If you’ve never had a Buckeye, you’re missing out! They are the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter when you need a sweet treat. However, an even better combination is our 2018 Luxx Merlot from California with a Buckeye. The softness of the wine and plummy notes works well with anything chocolate. Prepare to be bowled over by this one!
Click Here for Buckeyes Recipe
So, let’s recap the game plan: watch football, eat food, drink amazing wine, and have a good time! May the best team win!!
Ready to try out these tailgate food pairings at your own free wine tasting event? Spice up your next game day and click here to get started!