Sandwiches to Snacks: Super Bowl Foods that Play Well with Wine

Inspire your pairings and recipes with new wine ideas.

For us, the Super Bowl is actually all about food. (If our team is in it, that’s maybe another story.) What can we say? We have our priorities in order. Rather than filling up on beer and only beer, we’ve mapped out some of our favorite game-day bites, simple to time-consuming, that are perfect with Cavit wines. Plus, the perfect host wouldn’t only have beer on hand.

Muffaleta or Sub Sandwiches: Pinot Noir or Select Red Blend
Whether you decide to serve the classic Italian sub sandwich or go for the beautiful layers of a more complicated, make-ahead muffaletta, we have just the wine to match. These fruity Italian reds are medium-to-full bodied and are a delicious match to the salty meats, olives and cheeses of the sandwich. Their fruit-forward notes add brightness to the stack that your tongue will adore.

Pigs in a blanket: Pinot Grigio
We adore these salty, greasy sausages wrapped in buttery pastry. They’re just a bite and totally addicting throughout the game. We like to sip a refreshing, citrus-loaded Pinot Grigio between bites to refresh our taste buds and fuel us as we cheer on our team.

Pulled Pork: Merlot
Utilize your slow cooker the day before to make a few pounds of pulled pork. During the game, serve them over cheese fries, on top of tortilla chips for makeshift nachos, in a bun for the typical sandwich, or in tortillas topped with slaw for a southern-style taco. With sweet, smokey and even a vinegar flavors, pulled pork is a great match with a glass of Cavit Merlot. The dark fruit notes of the wine are a delicious pairing with the sweet-savory BBQ sauce your typically enjoy with pulled pork.

Wings: Riesling or Oak Zero Chardonnay
Sip on these in between licking your fingers! Do you love wings slathered in spicy sauce? Pick up a sweet Riesling to balance out the spice and cool your tongue. If you’re going for crispy wings maybe seasoned with pepper, lemon, Old Bay, parmesan or garlic, we’d recommend our favorite, Cavit’s unoaked Chardonnay. The tropical fruit notes of the wine will still cleans the palate after the salty bites, but will let the flavors of the mild chicken shine.

Chili: Merlot
Having a pot of bean or meat-loaded chili on the stove to dish out bowls of (Bring on the toppings!) or dip tortilla chips into or spoon over hot dogs is a must during the Super Bowl. Plus, you can make it far ahead of the busy football weekend and reheat when you’re ready to devour. We suggest Cavit’s rich Merlot that will bring hints of chocolate and cherries to your already perfectly spiced tomato-based chili.

Dips: Pinot Grigio
Be it guacamole, cheese dip, artichoke or onion dip, (Let’s be real, the list could go on for awhile.) a crisp Pinot Grigio is an ideal pairing. Given the salty, rich nature of most dips and the chips or snacks that get dunked in, this white wine with bright notes is one of our favorite matches.

Popcorn: Pinot Noir or Moscato
There’s nothing easier to throw together during halftime than a simple bowl of salted and buttered popcorn. If you’re keeping things traditional, we like to serve our buttered bowl with Cavit Pinot Noir. The wine’s red fruit notes are a playful match with the heavily buttered snack. For a perfect last bite, we like doing a bit of sweet and savory. We add chilli flakes or powder to the bowl, maybe even harissa spice blend and serve it with a sweet moscato. It’s sweet and salty elements remind us of when we used to throw M&M’s into our warm movie theater popcorn as kids.

Puppy chow: Moscato or Cabernet Sauvignon
If you’re anything like us, you know it’s not a party unless something sweet is involved to cap off all the savory. We like to make a big batch of puppy chow (popcorn or Chex coated in a peanut butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar mixture) that we can mix up the day before and bring out whenever our sweet tooth shows up. Because of its sweet and salty nature, you can try this mix with a Cavit Moscato or Cabernet Sauvignon.

New Years Resolutions: Pairing Fresh Foods with Wines

Inspire your pairings and recipes with new wine ideas. What are your resolutions? Are you vowing to eat more vegetables, eat out less and cook more dinners at home, or eat meatless a few days of the week? Well, just because you’re trying to refresh your meals or get more whole foods into your diet doesn’t mean you have to give up wine. Here are our favorite fresh food and wine pairings for the new year.

If you’re eating a poke bowl or spring rolls…

Loaded with veggies and omega-3’s from the seafood, a poke bowl or a vegetable spring roll are perfectly refreshing ways to get your nutrients. If you’re devouring this seafood trend or a rice-wrapped roll, pair it with a crisp Pinot Grigio. The wine won’t overwhelm the delicate flavors of the fresh fish or raw vegetables, but will enhance their refreshing qualities.

If you’re eating simply steamed shellfish or a Caesar Salad…

Pair these two dishes with an unoaked Chardonnay, like this one. This full-bodied white wine is filled with tropical fruit aromas, but without the oak. It won’t overpower the simple, well-loved flavors of a bowl of mussels in broth or a creamy Caesar salad topped with a chicken breast or tofu.

If you’re eating a grain salad…

Barley, quinoa or farro are just a few of the healthy grains that are loaded with more fiber and nutrients than the usual white flour pasta. Make a pot, stir in vegetables, herbs, beans or another protein and enjoy with a Cabernet Sauvignon. This red wine is the perfect balance to the earthy notes of the grains, but isn’t too big of a red as to drown out the flavors of the vegetables.

If you’re snacking on hummus…

Snacks and wine on a Friday night are how we celebrate the end of the week. Just because you’re trying to eat cleaner doesn’t mean you have to quit the celebrations. Whip up a batch of hummus for a serving of protein and grab a bottle of Pinot Grigio so you can start the weekend off right.

If you’re making vegetarian versions with lentils and beans…

Whether a bean stew is bubbling on the stove or you’re making a vegetarian bolognese with lentils, we suggest pairing these hearty meatless dishes with a bright Pinot Noir. This fruity wine won’t overshadow your vegetarian meal, but will accentuate its best flavors.

If you’re eating a veggie burger…

Wines that aren’t too tannic and have plenty of fruit notes are great friends to veggie burgers. Load your patty up with all the fun burger toppings and pour yourself a glass of fruit-forward Merlot.

If you’re eating spicy rice noodles…

You don’t have to order takeout to satisfy a craving for Asian dishes. Whip up a bowl of rice noodles tossed with your favorite vegetables, quickly pickled and a spicy chili sauce. Serve the fresh bowl with a Riesling to help refresh the palate from the heat.

If you’re eating a grilled tofu or chicken breast wrap…

Quickly grill your tofu or chicken and wrap it up with tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and a sriracha mayo. Pair it with an Italian red blend that plays well with smoke and spice.

If you’re eating baked fish…

One of our favorite meals is wrapping a fish fillet, veggies, olive oil, and some herbs together in a parchment packet. It’s easy to make and easy to pair with Pinot Noir.

If you’re eating fruit instead of dessert…

Sometimes it’s a good idea to wean our bodies off of the excessive sugar it has become used to, thanks to holiday festivities. If you’re steering clear of dessert for a bit, try enjoying a bowl of fruit and a glass of Moscato when you’re craving something sweet. With refreshing sweetness, this Italian wine will match the flavors of the fruits, without being overly sugary.

If you just made a big batch of butternut squash soup…

On cold weekend days, we love making an extra large batch of butternut squash soup and pureeing it until smooth. We freeze half of it so we can easily thaw it on the busiest weeknights. Stir in a drizzle of coconut milk, plain yogurt, tofu chunks, or crumbles of goat cheese and serve with an unoaked chardonnay. You’ll feel like royalty, no matter how busy your day was.

Tips for Hosting a Dinner Party on a Budget

Ready to host your first dinner party with friends or a small holiday get-together? You don’t have to break the bank to have a meal with good company. Check out these tips for hosting a dinner party, complete with wine, on a budget.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
If you don’t feel like you have the time or the funds to tackle everything, ask your guests to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert to share. The only faux pas is asking a guest to bring the main dish.

Serve Just One Appetizer
If you are handling the appetizers on your own, don’t feel pressured to have an elaborate spread. Save your appetizers for the main meal and serve just one bite before dinner. We like to check out the bakery department for day-old baguettes to make crostini topped with seasonal roasted veggies or dipped into a sweet potato puree or homemade hummus dip. Try serving this Pinot Grigio as an aperitif with your appetizers as your guests arrive.

Skip the Steak
Unless there’s a great deal on a more expensive meat, we like to stick to chicken for a big dinner party. It’s affordable, delicious and easy to cook. There’s something super impressive about a whole roast chicken. Or you can serve delicious chicken thighs with a creamy mushroom sauce or marinated in a curry yogurt. The options are endless. If you’re looking for a main dish that is meatless, consider a frittata loaded with your favorite veggies of the season. Afterall, few things are cheaper than eggs. Consider serving this Pinot Noir and this Chardonnay with your chicken. If the main dish is a bit spicy, we suggest this Riesling to help cool things down.

Filling Sides
If you didn’t delegate the sides away, think filling and affordable. We like to serve potatoes or sweet potatoes in salads, mashed or roasted. They’re such an affordable ingredient and they are great at making your guests feel full. For more inexpensive, hearty ideas, head to the dried beans aisle and brainstorm a legume salad or soup for extra protein. Pasta side dishes with seasonal vegetables are also another way to round out the menu on a tight budget.

Good, Affordable Wine
Cavit makes a variety of red and white, sweet and dry Italian wines, all for less than $10 a bottle. They’re high quality, food-friendly and ready to impress. Choose one red and one white wine that will pair with most of the food being served. There’s no need to feel like you have to offer your guests more wine options than that. If you’re having a large gathering, ask your local wine store if they offer a case discount for an even better deal.

The Tablescape
Ready to set the table? Using butcher paper, DIY decor and found branches or leaves, you can create an an easy and affordable tablescape. Check out our tips here.