The NFL WildCard playoffs are set!! So when planning your menu for the coming big games or the Superbowl, incorporating a selection of snacks and wines that complement each other can really elevate the experience. Here are some classic game day snacks paired with wines, complete with recipes and recommended wines:

1. Classic Buffalo Wings &amp; Riesling

Snack: Buffalo wings are a quintessential game day treat. To prepare, marinate chicken wings in a mix of hot sauce, melted butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, and garlic powder. Bake until crispy and toss them in more sauce for that classic spicy kick.

Wine Pairing: A crisp Riesling. Its natural sweetness and acidity can tame the heat of the wings and cleanse the palate. Look for a Riesling with a balance of fruity and mineral notes, offering a refreshing contrast to the spicy wings.

Wine Recommendation: <a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/AJ-Adam-Dhroner-Hofberg-Riesling-Trocken-2018-w9143049e1">A.J. Adam - Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Trocken 2018</a>, $42.99

2. Loaded Nachos &amp; Zinfandel

Snack: For loaded nachos, layer corn tortilla chips with shredded beef, black beans, jalapenos, and cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and then top with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. This snack is a medley of flavors and textures.

Wine Pairing: A robust Zinfandel. This wine, known for its bold fruit flavors and a hint of spice, complements the meat and spices in the nachos well. A Zinfandel with notes of blackberry, cherry, and pepper would be ideal.

Wine Recommendation: <a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Ridge-Lytton-Springs-Zinfandel-Dry-Creek-Valley-2021-w7007258mk">Ridge - Lytton Springs Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2021</a>, $59.99

3. Sliders with Blue Cheese &amp; Cabernet Sauvignon &ndash; Staff Favorite**

Snack: Mini sliders made with quality ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper, and grilled to perfection. Serve on small buns with blue cheese, arugula, and a thin slice of red onion.

Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon. The tannins in this wine cut through the fattiness of the beef and blue cheese, while its flavors of black currant, cedar, and herbs add an extra layer of complexity to the sliders.

Wine Recommendation: <a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Concha-y-Toro-Cabernet-Sauvignon-Maipo-Valley-Terrunyo-Pirque-Viejo-Vineyard-2018-w9062227lv">Concha y Toro - Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Terrunyo Pirque Viejo Vineyard 2018</a>, $35.99

Wine Recommendation: <a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Chateau-Lynch-Bages-Echo-de-Lynch-Bages-Pauillac-2019-w6428939kd">Chateau Lynch-Bages - Echo de Lynch Bages Pauillac 2019,</a> $58.99

https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Chateau-Lynch-Bages-Echo-de-Lynch-Bages-Pauillac-2019-w6428939kd

4. Cheese and Charcuterie Board &amp; Pinot Noir

Snack: Assemble a board with a variety of cheeses (think Brie, Cheddar, and Gouda), cured meats (like salami and prosciutto), nuts, fruits, and crackers. This offers something for everyone and encourages grazing throughout the game.

Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir. This wine is versatile enough to pair with the wide range of flavors on the board. Look for a Pinot Noir with notes of cherry, raspberry, and clove for a delightful match.

Wine Recommendation:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Bzikot-Pere-and-Fils-Volnay-2018-w664195310">Bzikot Pere &amp; Fils - Volnay 2018</a>, $51.99

5. Spicy Shrimp Tacos &amp; Sauvignon Blanc

Snack: Quick shrimp tacos with a spicy seasoning, topped with a slaw of cabbage, cilantro, and lime juice. Serve in small tortillas for easy eating.

Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc. The zesty and citrus notes of this wine complement the spice and freshness of the tacos. A Sauvignon Blanc with hints of lime, green apple, and passion fruit would be particularly refreshing.

Wine Recommendation: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Gerard-Boulay-Sancerre-Chavignol-2022-w1366241xd">Gerard Boulay - Sancerre Chavignol 2022</a>, $38.99

Pairing wines with your NFL game day snacks can transform your viewing into a gourmet experience. Remember, the best pairings balance the flavors and intensity of both the food and the wine. Don&#39;t be afraid to experiment and find what combinations delight your palate the most. Enjoy the game and the feast!

 
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The NFL WildCard playoffs are set!! So when planning your menu for the coming big games or the Superbowl, incorporating a selection of snacks and wines that complement each other can really elevate the experience. Here are some classic game day snacks paired with wines, complete with recipes and recommended wines.

Big Games are set! Here are wine pairings for your favorite game snacks!

Wines from grapes grown in higher altitude areas with cooler climate has become quite the trend recently. This specific growing environment gives intense flavor but elegance and freshness to the final wines. To highlight and champion these conditions more and more winemakers are starting to use alto as a marketing and labelling term to show their grapes were grown in high altitude vineyards.

Decoding the wine label: Alto

Brut is a word often seen on labels for different kinds of sparkling wine. As you may have discovered when drinking these wines, it indicates that the wine is dry, meaning there is no perceived sweetness in the wine. But how about Extra Brut or Dry, what do they mean and are they the same as Brut?

Decoding the wine label: Brut

Semi-sweet Riesling, a type of wine falling out of style. It’s a shame, since these wines are perfect to pair with flavorful cuisines like Asian or Mexican, or simply drink as they come under the summer sun. The higher level of sugar left in the wine also means that the alcoholic fermentation was stopped before finishing, providing a wine with lower alcohol level and therefor easier grabbing a second glass of.

Decoding the wine label: Spätlese

Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers’ lips today, as it happens to be considered the grape variety with the highest quality in Greece, and one that is trending at the moment. The fact that Greece have been making wine for a long time comes as no surprise, but they have never exported an amount to make sure wine lovers around the globe tried it. With the growing wine tourism many have discovered these wines and are serving them in wine bars and restaurants in many countries today.

Decoding the wine label: Xinomavro

Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico… Why do all these Italian wine regions have the Classico addendum and what does it mean? What is the difference for wines labeled as Classico?

Classico is a wine term in Italy seen on a few wine labels and it indicates that the wine’s from the historic center of the region, the heart. Using Chianti and Chianti Classico and their Sangiovese-based red wines as an example, Chianti is a rather large wine district within the Tuscany region. Chianti Classico is located withing Chianti as the central part and the one that originally existed. Back then this smaller region was actually called Chianti, but as the region grew the quality of the wine plummeted and the well-known characteristics of these red wines were watered down. The reputation took a hit and sales diminished. Eventually this led to the creation of Chianti Classico, which would be drawn from the original Chianti borders to recover the typicity of these wines. Today the quality of both Chianti and Chianti Classico have risen a lot due to modern techniques and knowledge about pruning, planting and temperature control in the winery.

Decoding the wine label: Classico

In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot's gripping memoir "FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation" reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world's most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

From Burgundy's Vineyards to the FBI's Most Wanted: A Winemaker's Quest for Justice

Chablis – one of the more popular styles of wine today and a region known by many. Most are familiar with the word Chablis and the light, fresh white wine with a touch of minerality it brings. Even though it’s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is.

Decoding the wine label: Chablis

Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they’re grown in, even though they’re exactly the same. The most famous example would be Syrah in France where the same grape is named Shiraz in Australia. Another variety with two names is Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris.

Decoding the wine label: Pinot Grigio

Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It’s not a grape and not a wine region, but a winemaking method used to give certain styles of white wine a rounder texture and a more complex flavor profile.

Decoding the wine label: Sur lie

La Lanterna di Vittorio

Maria Valetta, certified sommelier and wine educator, and Robert Tas hit the popular Italian date-night spot La Lanterna

Wine Review of La Lanterna, NYC

Maria Valetta

La Lanterna

La Lanterna,

RT: Hello and welcome back to CorkRules! The wine podcast that&rsquo;s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists!

I&rsquo;m, Robert Tas along with Maria Valetta certified sommelier and wine educator also known as Maria the Wine Blonde

Hello Maria

MV: Buongiorno Roberto! We have a lovely Italian date-night spot to review in NYC

RT: That&rsquo;s right Maria&hellip;Today we are talking about La Lanterna di Vittorio on MacDougal Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood. Famous for being one of the most ROMANTIC Italian caf&eacute;s in the city thanks to its 4 fireplaces set inside a charming 200-year-old townhome. It&rsquo;s a locals delight and even more delightful are the desserts&hellip; so grab your special someone and cozy up together with a special bottle of vino in the picturesque garden that is open year-round. Maria their wine list is far bigger than I expected, what do you think, do you like this list?

MV: So I&rsquo;m going to be honest because that&rsquo;s me&hellip; I do wish the font was a little less foo-foo so It&rsquo;s easier for customers to read.. or maybe some spacing would help for the by-the-bottle section however I am only seeing it online but I DO love all the descriptors of the wines.. sometimes that can be REALLY helpful for people wanting a specific flavor profile.

RT: Yes I see the descriptors for flavor and Style &ndash; I also think that&rsquo;s helpful.

MV: It certainly is.. and I am pleasantly surprised by the extensive beverage options, as sometimes the cafes have sparser selections&hellip;La Lanterna offers everything from seasonal cocktails to 25 different types of martinis, over 20 different COFFEE cocktails and then a thoughtfully curated selection of wines by the glass, half bottles and full-sized bottles,<s> </s>plus some good finds for after-dinner drinks.

RT: so, we will have to remember to save room for dessert, however, to begin, how about a white and red by the glass, what do you recommend Maria

MV:&nbsp; I&rsquo;d start with the Frisco Scarpetta 2020 Rosato di Sangiovese a fresh, crisp very dry ros&eacute; from the Sangiovese grape with a splash of Canaiolo, and Ciliegiolo all native Italian grapes

*** I don&rsquo;t see enough Tuscan Ros&eacute; on wine menus so when I do I order it because the tart cherry, fresh strawberry flavor and hint of dried oregano draws me in every time. a perfect pairing with Bruscetta or Carpaccio both of which La Lanterna has tasty variations of. &nbsp;

NOW, for my RED wine lovers if they are still offering it.(because they do update their selections monthly) try the Montes &ldquo;Ltd. Selection&rdquo;2019 &nbsp;Carmenere/Cab Sauv blend<s>,</s> from Chile, described accurately on the menu as supple with flavors of cassis and spice&hellip;but honestly they have a ton of reasonably priced wines by the bottle that you could jump right in there and have more options for you and your date when it comes to red.

RT: Yes, I can&rsquo;t believe how reasonable the selections are. especially for NY!

MV: it&#39;s refreshing to see, I wish more restaurants offered pricing like this for wines

RT: So speaking of price.. with so many great value options what&rsquo;s going to be a favorite?

MV: Well I just got back from Puglia Italy (the heel of the boot where you have the most beautiful beaches)&nbsp; and I&rsquo;m still on the Puglian wine-kick&hellip;and <s>La</s> Lanterna has a few from this under the radar region, so I&rsquo;m excited to recommend these 2 Puglian wines AND they are UNDER $50!

RT: That&rsquo;s a big plus!

MV: it sure is.. for white, The Coppi Guiscardo, (Gwee Cardo) Falanghina 2018 , This is an ancient Italian varietal. Falanghina is a crisp refreshing white, with melon and peach flavors great for salads and fresh fish.

And the&nbsp; Vespa dei Bruno, Primitivo, 2015<s>, </s> 
this is big dark fruit in a glass that will draw you IN with its supple tannins and jammy finish great by itself or with heartier meaty dishes.

This luscious grape should remind you of California&rsquo;s zinfandel red because Zinfandel is Primitivo&#39;s twin. While Its origins are in Croatia, the clones made their way to Puglia and then on to America where the name changed and the vine adapted to its new home of California becoming America&rsquo;s beloved Heritage grape known as Zinfandel so the flavor profile may be familiar to you

RT: that is so fascinating how grapes vines have traveled so much in the past with people as they have settled new territories.

MV: The history is really fun to follow.

RT: So let&rsquo;s move on to something standout&nbsp; ..I know we have some excellent pricing here, but Maria, I&rsquo;m sure you can find us a wine we should order if it&rsquo;s a very special anniversary celebration.

MV: In that case definitely select the Ornellaia, &ldquo;Bolgheri Superiore&rdquo; *2010, from Tuscany, Italy, this famous Super Tuscan is definitely a splurge-worthy option as 2010 was their 25th-anniversary bottling. The Orneliaia is true to the Bordeaux style with the Cuvee being a blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab franc and petit Verdot.&nbsp; Lots of tobacco and floral notes wrapped around exotic spices. 
***RT: Maria, I think we should also mention that La Lanterna is known for their Lasagna flights&hellip;

MV: Yes they sure are..imagine having four different bites of lasagne to pair with that Ornellaia? Now that&rsquo;s what I call a perfect match on date night.

RT: But wait&hellip;save room for that dessert wine

MV: OH YESSSS Dessert wines are so romantic. I&rsquo;d love to share that half bottle of the Cantina Pr&agrave;, &lsquo;13 Passito Bianco from Veneto, Italy, with someone special. Made with the Garganega grape this wine gets its sweetness and golden hue from a special process in which only the most sun-ripened grapes are harvested and then they are slowly dried for a whole month before being pressed, this concentrates the sweetness, you can expect candied apricots, Floral honey and a rich, round texture

The rule when ordering dessert WINE with your dessert is that the wine should ALWAYS be sweeter than the dessert you order. The Passito would surely bring out the best in the Caramel Custard since this wine will ALSO have sweet notes of caramelization.

RT: That&rsquo;s a great tip for our listeners, Maria, as we wrap up today&rsquo;s episode. Maria, thank you for ALL of your helpful wine information and suggestions from La Lanterna di Vittorio&rsquo;s wine list. You can find Maria on Instagram @Mariathewineblonde.

Thank you EVERYONE for joining us on CorkRules, Remember the only rule in wine is &ldquo;drink what you LOVE&rdquo;.

MV: Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here, Send us your requests at <a href="mailto:info@corkrules.com">info@CorkRules.com</a> and be sure to Check out all of our episodes on CorkRules.com; Please drink responsibly.

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