Superbowl 2026: Wine, Super Cocktails, and Super Recipes
May the Best Pairing Win!
Super Bowl LX festivities kick-off this week at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Sunday February 8, 3:30 PM PST. Many venues feature fundraiser concerts and celebrity-filled parties which benefit charities like St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the Salvation Army. Kirk Herbstreit, 20th recipient of the Prestigious Pat Summerall Award, will be honored during Super Bowl LX at the 2026 “Legends for Charity Dinner” benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
But for most of us, we will gather on this unofficial holiday with friends and family to watch the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots battle it out for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. While that takes center stage, some of us are also excited to see what super foods and drinks are offered. For me, I’m going to a Super Bowl party at my local club, where I do have some input into the drinks (both wines and spirits) served. (Try The Last Word cocktail invented at the Detroit Athletic Club, 1915. Recipe below.) Here are some of my pairing and recipe recommendations I am making while sneaking in a “Go Patriots” cheer. May the best pairing win!
Salty Snacks Like Cheese Ball Bites and Truffle Popcorn: Sparklers or a Gin Cocktail are the Best Pairing
2022 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, North Coast, California, $40, Wine Spectator, 92 points
2025 Raventos Blanc de Nit Rose Cava, Penedes, Spain $34, Robert Parker, 92 points
Spirits Recipe: The Last Word, gin cocktail, courtesy of liquor.com (Invented at the Detroit Athletic Club, 1915.)
Spirits Recipe: Harry’s Bar French 75 with London Dry Gin
Recipe: Cheese Ball Bites, courtesy of delish
Recipe: Truffle Popcorn, courtesy of the James Beard Foundation
Sushi or Asian Food: Best Pairings are High Acid, Aromatic Wines or Blanc de Blanc Champagne
2024 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York, $19, James Suckling, 93 points
2019 Champagne Mandois Blanc de Blanc Brut, France, $67, James Suckling, 91 Points
Pulled Pork, Beef Sliders or Hot Wings: Best Pairings are Bold Wines That Hold Up to the Food Spices
2023 Lapostolle Grand Selection Merlot, Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley, Chile, $16, James Suckling, 90 Points
2022 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz, South Australia, $33, Wine Spectator, 93 points
Recipe: Crockpot Pulled Pork Sliders, Courtesy of Amanda Cooks & Styles
Beer and Brats Nachos Pairing: Peach Margarita or Dry Rosé Wine
2024 Wölffer Estate, Cotes de Provence, France “Summer in a Bottle,” $23, Vivino, 4.1/5 – Arguably the prettiest wine bottle in America….a great hostess gift.
Recipe: Beer and Brats Nachos, Courtesy of Taste of Home
Recipe: Fresh Peach Margarita, Courtesy of Gimme Some Oven
Bruschetta Sampler Perfect Pairing: Italian Food-Friendly Wines
2022 Marchesi Antinori Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy, $40, Robert Parker, 92 Points
2022 Morgante Nero d’Avola, Sicily, Italy, $23, Vinous, 90 Points
Recipe:”Game Day” Bruschetta Trio, courtesy of La Cucina Italiana
Chili or Frito-Pie: Pairing Bold, Fruit-Forward Jammy Wine: a Zinfandel
2023 Rombauer California Zinfandel, $43, Wine Spectator, 92 Points
Recipe: Venison Black Bean Chili. courtesy of Rombauer Vineyards
Super Bowl-Shaped Chocolate Cake: Pairing: Sweeter Wine or a Smooth Irish Cream Cocktail
2024 Tenuta Olim Bauda Centive Moscato d’Asti, $20, Decanter, 90 points
Recipe: Football Sheet Cake, courtesy of Pioneer Woman
Spirits Recipe: Irish Cream and Vodka Martini, courtesy of Claudia’s Table
Wine Wanderings Editorial Calendar 2026
Celebrating Five Years on Substack
Libido-Raising Valentines Day Dinner: Wine, Spirits, and Food Pairing
Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday with Wine and the Presidents
LIVE from the Paso Robles Wine Region: Rhône Rangers Riding Strong at BlendFest
Will a MICHELIN Star System Work for Wine? Introducing The MICHELIN Grape
Angelina Mondavi Taking the Helm at Charles Krug: The Mondavi Legacy
How Do You Start a Cooperage: A Texas First- Standard Cooperage
Cooper’s Hawk Restaurant Group: America’s Largest Wine Club Celebrates 20 Years
Canada’s Okanagan Wine Region
The Imaginaries and Wine: The European Tour
Cité du Vin: Celebrating 10 Years as the World’s Foremost Wine Museum
Mahjongg and Wine/Spirits Pairing: Rack and Roll
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In Case You Missed It in the Wine/Spirits News:
WineBusiness News, Jan. 23, 2026, “Wente Family Vineyards’ Flagship Chardonnay is Wine Spectator’s Number Five Value of the Year.”
Editors Note: This is my “house” Chardonnay. Retail: $11-12 in most locations.
Travel Opportunities
Editor’s Note: I will be cruising on AmaWaterways this April 20, 2026, on the Romantic Danube Cruise. Wine Wanderings subscribers: Come and join me and Wölffer Estate Winery’s Roman Roth, Winemaker/Partner on the Danube River. We will be visiting Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Hungary.
Cruise the Danube on AmaWaterways with Wine Wanderings and Wölffer Estate Winery April 20, 2026, Romantic Danube.
“Enticing Douro River Cruise” with Dr. Bob Young. M.D. of Bending Branch Winery April 6-13, 2026
