DiVino may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
It’s Super Bowl Party time. As we gear up to consume quantities of traditional super bowl foods and drinks, leave some room for wine on your shopping list. While beer is the long-standing beverage of choice for sporting events wine certainly has its place on the coffee table for your super bowl party this year.
This year as the Kansas City Chiefs battle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers we’ve chosen regional wines from Missouri (go Chiefs!) and offer some tropical-toned options that embody Florida in the place of an established local wine culture. Alternatively, considering Tampa’s Cuban community has roots that stretch as far back as the 16th Century, Buccaneer fans might be better suited to mix up a mojito with Papa’s Pilar 24 Dark Rum. Read on for food (liquor) and wine pairing ideas.
Missouri Wines
Going up against Tampa in the wine cellar might be easier than on the field. The Show Me State can definitely hold its own where wine is concerned. Missouri is, after all, the home of Augusta Valley, Americas’ first AVA (American Viticultural Area). Multiple river flood plains, clay-rich soils, and sun-drenched slopes make Missouri a veritable wine-growing region.
Add to that the rich German heritage of wine producing throughout the state and you can make a solid case for Missouri wines.
Missouri Red Wines
Whether it’s sweet, succulent, and smoky brisket or crispy burnt ends, the flavors of Kansas City Barbecue really sing with the right red wine pairing.
Missouri’s own Norton grape produces deep and rustic red wines with earthy fruit flavors, a pleasant tang to keep your palate feeling clean, and long smoky finish. Try: Augusta Winery Estate-Bottled Norton.
For something on the lighter side, try Chambourcin, slightly chilled. Wines made from this French-American hybrid grape have an intense color and powerful, pretty red-fruit aromas but with a slightly softer palate. Try: Stone Hill Winery Chambourcin.
Both wines pair well with classic crock pot meatballs or lil’ smokies slow-cooked in BBQ sauce and grape jelly.
Missouri White Wines
Missouri’s German heritage includes a host of deeply aromatic wines made from a variety of local hybrid grapes including Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Vignoles, and Chardonnel and Traminette.
These wines range from dry to sweet which gives you a lot of wine pairing flexibility. Aromatic white wines with a silky palate and clean, crisp finish are an excellent pairing for buffalo wings, guacamole, spinach artichoke dip or bite-size spring rolls. Try: Adam Puchta Winery – Dry Vignoles.
Sweet wines pair delightfully with washed rind cheese like brie and camembert, or even Missouri’s own Green Dirt Farms Creamery. Try: Montelle Winery Vidal Blanc Ice wine (dessert).
Missouri Sparkling Wines
Toast every touchdown with a celebratory sparkler or refresh your palate after every bite of deep-fried mozzarella sticks, buttery pigs in a blanket, or even a just a warm, buttered Zweiback roll.
Missouri produces some sparkling wines in a variety of styles, including the dry, ultra-fizzy, Champagne-style, which includes a second fermentation in the bottle and produces toasty, yeasty aromas along with bright citrus and fruit notes. Try: Stone Hill Blanc de Blancs
For a slightly sweeter, fruiter sparkler with a gentle fizz, forego the Champagne method and try a sparkling wine made in the tank method, which is used for Prosecco. Try: Mount Pleasant Wineries Brut Imperial.
Tiny and sustainable winery Claverach Farm produces a rosé wine that is dry and delicately sparkling after a natural fermentation in the bottle known as the Ancestral Method. It’s made from local Missouri grape Chambourcin, co-fermented with Marsanne and Petit Manseng skins. The result is remarkably floral with light and refreshing honeydew notes.
Try: Claverach farm pét-nat Rosé. In a nod to the high-brow low-brow trend, try pairing this wine with a funnel cake for blast of freshness.
Don’t forget to stock up on stemless glasses. They’re sturdier and touchdown, cheers-proof! Planning on scoring a lot? Go with plastic ones.
Rieger’s Missouri Whiskey
Lastly, if you’re looking for a smooth sipper or something to calm your nerves halfway in, stay true to the Show Me State with spirits from Prohibition-era distillery J. Rieger & Co. which has recently revamped and renovated their space with a brilliant culinary team focused on creating recipes destined to pair with their products.
Rieger’s Midwestern Gin is a smooth sipper, a great with tonic or even a Prohibition-style Gin Fizz. If Vodka is more your speed, grab a bottle of Rieger’s Premium Wheat Vodka. I’m partial to Rieger’s Kansas City Whiskey, the secret is a splash of 15-year-old Oloroso Sherry, part of the original recipe.
Super Bowl Party Wines for Tampa Fans
Tropical Florida in a Glass
Fruit wines are the dominant production in the Sunshine state, which makes perfect sense considering the tropical climate. Check out this round-up of Florida wineries, some of which are also producing grape wine, most commonly from the American variety Muscadine.
Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
While Florida is not a big producer of Sauvignon Blanc, nothing captures the citrusy spirit of the Sunshine State quite like Sauvignon Blanc. Those notes of grapefruit and lime alongside mango and even pineapple, are as Floridian as it gets.
Chile produces a bold selection of reasonably priced Sauvignon Blanc wines with explosive tropical fruit aromas, and in many cases, a notable mineral finish. If you’re serving fish tacos or any vegetarian-based treats for the big game, a Sauvignon Blanc will make a great match.
A Few of our Favorites
La Playa Estate Sauvignon Blanc: This budget friendly little gem packs a hefty nose and palate to match. It’s light and lively and heavy on the lime.
Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc: Los Vascos was founded by the Bordeaux Baron de Rothschild. Elegant wine that far surpass their price point in quality.
Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc: This complex and elegant wine hails from the Casablanca Valley. Medium-bodied with a strong herbaceous quality, this bottle will evolve from kick-off to final touchdown.
