Spicy chicken wings - Sweeter reislings rule with wings. Brut Champagne or other dry sparkler also works. For red, a big bold zinfandel is the way to go with wings and other spicy bits.
BBQ - Similar to wings. If you want white, go with sweeter reislings or semi sweet sparkler. BBQ can be paired with a fruitier pinot but works best with a nice zinfandel.
Sausages - Always good on game day - think "if it grows together it goes together" . Basically german sausages = german style wines, italian sausages = italian style wines, etc. I enjoy a good Italian sausages with chianti or sangiovese. For sweet or spicy sausages go for the zinfande. For Brats or hot dogs a nice crisp reisling.
Chili - Everybody makes their chili a little different so finding a perfect pairing is extremely difficult. A general rule of thumb is to go with wines that are very complex in structure and well balanced. For reds look to big bold blends for the best match with cabarnet or malbec as the base grape.
If whites are what you want to drink then a nice California style chardonnay with a touch of oak will have the body to put up with the chili. Especially nice with chicken or turkey chili. Even better if the chili is a green chili with tomatillos!!
If its 3-alarm chilli you are making, then again, spicy food tends to work better with sweeter wines. I would suggest a sweeter style reisling or full zinfandels.
Nacho cheese dip - Think reisling when you think cheese. The germans have been doing this for a long time. The spicier the dip the sweeter the reisling. Zinfandels also pair nicely unless you are using velveeta, in which case just stick with beer.
Any other ideas for game day food? Please stop in and I would love to chat and make suggestions for what I would drink with them.
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