Super Bowl wines? Not an oxymoron here

Wine will never replace beer as America’s favorite Super Bowl beverage. But washing down traditional football fare with wine is like watching the game on the newest plasma TV. The experience is so much richer. Here are some wine recommendations to enhance your watch-party menu.

It would be unpatriotic, bordering on sacrilegious, to drink wine from foreign soil on America’s holiest sports day.

In that sprit, all of these were born in the USA.

{mosads}Chips, pretzels, popcorn: Salt and grease are big bullies on the schoolyard that is your palate. They are brash and permeating, causing other flavors to cower in their presence.

However, there is one type of wine with enough personality and backbone to stand up to these snacks: sparklers.

Their effervescence and acid will awaken your abused taste buds and quench your thirst with each sip.

I like J Vineyards’ Cuvee 20 ($20). This brut from California’s Russian River Valley boasts honeysuckle and yeast aromas followed by focused green apple, pear and spice flavors.

A word of warning about drinking good sparklers: Like the salty snacks they complement so well, it’s nearly impossible to have just one glass, and you quickly lose track of how many you’ve swigged.

Tortilla chips and salsa: The combination of toasted corn and zesty salsa is ready-made for Chardonnay. While America’s favorite condiment comes in a variety of styles, most express fresh tomato and pepper notes.

Selecting an unoaked Chardonnay is key to this pairing.

Fat, buttery versions, while often lovely on their own or paired with richer foods, don’t have enough acid to compete with the spice and heat of salsa.

I like Toad Hollow Francine Selection Unoaked Chardonnay 2007 ($14). Hints of lemon, pineapple and vanilla adorn a crisp, mineral-laced frame.

Pasta salad: This dish usually contains vinegar, the mortal enemy of wine. Even the smallest amount can make an average white taste watery and red taste metallic.

On the other hand, rose wines somehow hold their own. I realize that, to some people, the notion of sipping pink wine while watching the Super Bowl may be a bridge too far. But if you want to take your pasta salad to the next level, go with a rose.

I like A to Z Wineworks Rose 2008 ($13). This Oregon winery’s motto is “Aristocratic wines at democratic prices,” and it is true to its word.

The wine has an intriguing mixture of fruit, herb and vegetable flavors. Cucumber and raspberry? They harmonize in this bottle.

BBQ meats/burgers/sausages: If it walked the planet before reaching your grill, chances are a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot will be a solid fit. 

I like Bordeaux-style blends of the two varietals, like the Waterbrook Merlot-Cabernet Columbia Valley 2007 ($14). This is an unapologetically masculine wine with leather, spice, tobacco, fig and dark-cherry flavors balanced on a lingering finish.

Sub sandwiches: There are many variations and ingredients to consider.

{mosads}That said, if I had to pair one varietal with the entire menu at Subway, I’d choose Pinot Noir.

Try the Estancia Pinot Noir Monterey County Pinnacles Ranches 2007 ($15).

This rich, well-balanced marriage of red plum, fresh earth and sage will support a meatball marinara sub, a veggie pocket and everything in between.

Derek M. LaVallee, certified wine buff, can be reached at dereklavallee@hotmail.com.