Wine Pairings With Super Bowl Snacks

It is widely known that while watching the Super Bowl, people are expected to eat wings and nachos, and drink lots of beer. But what if you’re not a beer drinker and instead you prefer a glass of wine? I know that I will have have wine in my hand, because beer just isn't my thing.

Below are wine pairing recommendations from Leo Schneemann, Wine Director at Wallsé and Upholstery Store, that will let you enjoy your wings while sipping on your wine:

Chicken Wings:

RED: Cabaret Sauvignon, Rickshaw, 2012

Full bodied, well balanced from the Napa Valley with a long finish. Easily drinkable.

WHITE: POE Chardonnay, 2013

Tropical taste with fruit nuts and not too much oak; With a medium palette and a long finish. Something special for wine connoisseur on SuperBowl Sunday.

Nachos and Guacamole:

RED: Pinot Noir von Winning, 2012, Pfalz Germany

Red cherry notes with a lighter body

WHITE: Riesling - Red Slate, Dr Loosen, 2014

Apricot white peaches, high “minerality" with a well-balanced acidity - great Riesling

Deviled Eggs:

RED:  Blaufränkisch, Schiffer, Eisenberg, 2013

Nice mineral straightforward, with dark fruit nuts, a medium palette and peppery finish

WHITE: Grüner Veltiner, Johann, Donaubau,  2014

Fresh, crisp, wine w/green apple notes, white peppery spiciness, and easy finish

Babylonstoren: Divine South African Wine

South African wine has a history dating back to 1659, but it hasn’t been until recently that they are gaining acclaim as one of the top wine producers in the world. That brings us to Babylonstoren, one of the oldest Cape Dutch farm yards that makes its own wine. The farm is an oasis of fine food, accommodations, and gardens.  I recently got acquainted with Babylonstoren wines during a tasting and wine dinner that they hosted in Manhattan.

Their cellarmaster, Charl Coetzee, was also in attendance. Coetzee is quite humble about making the award winning wines. I asked him how he got into the wine business and it was not a life long dream of his. It kind of just happened. I would say that it appears that he has found his true calling. When Coetzee saw the cellar at Babylonstoren, he knew that it was where he wanted to be.

The unique logo on the wine bottle captures the essence of the wine The pipe represents the farm. the flower represents the garden, and the bird represents nature. There are six wines  Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Mourvèdre Rosé, Babel Red, Shiraz, and Chardonnay.  The chenin blanc was probably my favorite of the evening, with the rosé coming at a close second. All of the wines were quite good, the ones that I sipped on were great for a hot New York day.

If you can't make it to South Africa to check out the winery, there is a cookbook, BABEL by Maranda Engelbrecht, which shares the same name as the famous restaurant at Babylonstoren. The book is packed with gorgeous pictures of the farm and farm to table recipes. It is a peak at what happens behind the scenes in South Africa. It would make a wonderful table top book or a gift for a foodie.

This unique wine may be hard to find, but it's worth your time. You can also order from their website

Rosé, Ceviche and a Rooftop

Looking for a way to meet new people in New York City? Pull up a chair for the Yellowchair experience.

Yellowchair is a private social network that connects like- minded individuals who share a passion for food and conversation. The network creates experiences that include curated dinners, tastings and private events. Founded by Corey Sandlofer and Dana Goldstein, they host about two to three events a month.

I recently attended their Rosé, Ceviche and a Rooftop event at Up On 20. We kicked the night off with a glass of sparkling rosé and socializing. The view from Up On 20 at the Hyatt is sexy and chic, just like we like it in New York City. It’s a new hidden gem in midtown (side note: it is a great place for a date). The weather also happened to be perfect that night.

Once we got settled and schmoozed up, a tasting of rose sangrias began. Before each sangria we learned a bit about the winemakers and checked out the bottles. This is always my favorite part of a tasting, because winemakers are creating such unique wine from the varietals to the labels.

The first selection was a sangria made with SAVED Rosé. The wine is a collaboration between the artist, Scott Campbell and the winemaker, Clay Brock. It comes in a beautiful bottle designed by Campbell and is a blend of seven varietals. Brock made a small batch of the wine, so there were only a few hundred cases made.

Next we had a sangria made with the A-List Rose. A lovely wine from Australia, it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz from Margaret River. The notes include raspberries and strawberries which make it a perfect choice for a rosé based sangria.

After the wine tasting, the chef made a guest appearance to show us how to make ceviche. I opted for a spicy cod versus shrimp and it was delicious! In fact everything about the evening was delicious. It's what I would call a perfect evening in the city.

Yellowchair is an exclusive dining experience with an inclusive attitude. The club lives up to it’s tagline, “dinner with NEW friends". Whether you are a New Yorker or visiting the Big Apple, Yellowchair will feed you with a full blown sensory experience. See you there!