Score a Touchdown With These Wine and Football Snack Pairings

Getting ready for the Big Game in February?

When it comes to football, snacks like wings, pizza, or chips and dip are the typical staples for many at-home watch parties. To help you change it up this year, we’ve put together a unique list of bites to serve that are sure to be a touchdown with your guests! Here are some of our favorite football snacks with wine pairings to enjoy while watching the game.

Mini Pigs in a Blanket

This delicious appetizer is easy to make and is a great one-bite option to serve at any tailgate party. Making them is simple and all you need is the following:

Ingredients:

• One package of cocktail weenies
• Two packages of premade crescent rolls

Directions:

1. Start by rolling out the crescent rolls into a baking sheet.
2. Cut each triangle roll down the middle to make two smaller triangles.
3. Take a cocktail weenie and roll it into the crescent roll.
4. Spread out on a baking sheet and follow the baking instructions on the crescent roll package.
5. Serve with your favorite condiments.
6. Try adding ‘Everything’ seasoning to the crescent rolls for extra flavor.

Wine Pairing:

To pair with this dish, we recommend a Rosé, particularly the ROC Clairet Rosé. This is a Merlot Rosé from Bordeaux, France. Different from the wines of Provence, this Clairet is made to be darker in hue. It seems almost borderline red wine, which is a perfect reason to pair with the dish. You will enjoy flavors of cassis, cherry, and strawberry!

Ham and Cheese Sliders

Your game day snack plans should be quick and expedient, so you are not spending extra time in the kitchen, but rather on the couch watching the game! We love these Ham and Cheese Sliders because they can be prepared ahead of time. You will need the following:

Ingredients:

• Individual Mini Sandwich Rolls, we recommend the packaged rolls that come in sheets for easy pan placement.
• Your Favorite Sliced Deli Ham
• Sliced Swiss Cheese
• Mustard, we recommend Dijon or Spicy
• Melted Butter

Directions:

1. Start by placing the bottom of the rolls in a casserole dish.
2. Brush the bottom layers with mustard.
3. Place your ham and Swiss cheese.
4. Place the top of the rolls and brush the top with a little melted butter.
5. Place in the boiler or oven at a low temperature for about 15 minutes, just until the cheese melts and the top of the rolls get a slight browning.

Wine Pairing:

A white blend is the way to go for these scrumptious sliders. The J Opi Blanc de Blancs is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Full of peach and honeysuckle aromas, it pairs well with the layered flavor of the sliders.

Chili

Chili is the perfect pairing for cold months and tailgating. Have you ever done a chili bar for your guests? It gives a chance for everyone to put what toppings they love the most and you do not need to worry about serving! Just like drinking wine, everyone has their own favorite chili recipe that they prefer.

While we won’t be sharing a specific recipe (we don’t want to get in a heated battle whether beans should or shouldn’t be in it), we will recommend some tips! If you have a slow cooker, use it! Prepare the meat as you would and then dump all your ingredients into the slow cooker and put it on low so you can prepare your other dishes.

The topping bar should include whatever you want! Here are some of our favorites:

• Cheese
• Diced Onion
• Avocado
• Sour Cream
• Tortilla Chips
• Oyster Crackers
• Elbow Macaroni Noodles

Wine Pairing:

We recommend pairing a bowl of chili with the Doohickey Red Blend. This is a California Red Blend that is so smooth, it will beat the heat in the chili! The wine has a rich fruit flavor to it that will balance the meatiness of the chili. You will want to keep sipping this wine long after all the chili is gone.

Stock Up on Your Game Day Favorites

We hope these recipes and pairings will score a touchdown with your guests during The Big Game. Share your favorite recipes with us along with what Cellar Collection wines you are pairing with your tailgating activities? And do not forget the photos! Tag @thewinecellargroup and use #TheWineCellarGroup for a chance to be featured on our page. Join our email list for more fun wine tips, deals, and upcoming events! Browse the collection today or stop by your local Wine Cellar store to pick up a few bottles that will go great with your tailgating.

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