As we approach the end of summer, many will begin to focus on the impending cooler weather and upcoming holidays. We all welcome a break from the heat and the festive side of me relishes in any holiday celebration.  My attention instead, however, changes focus to something a bit more visceral, the commencement of our beloved football season.

Weekends with football offer a chance for gathering together in jersey-colored comradery while spouting conspiracy theories over the poor officiating. Although most game-time imbibements are of the barley and hops variety, I implore you to invite some juice of the vine to liven up your football festivities.

Let me intervene before the protestations begin, with some nonsensical statements regarding wine being to bougie for football. The snobby milieu surrounding wine is misplaced, unfounded and just plain incorrect. If you are willing to indulge the idea of popping a few corks with your tailgate cronies, the elevation of your game grub alone may be enough to make you rethink your devotion to the suds.

I am a big fan of an assorted cured animal and cheese tray for my gridiron-loving brethren and, although seemingly unorthodox, there is a sparkling wine that always raises eyebrows when served as an accompaniment, Lambrusco. Now that your eyes are focused back on this article after an unusually long and circumferential eye roll, this wine is long misunderstood and wrongfully judged.

Lambrusco

This red sparkling wine hailing from the Italian province of Emilia-Romagna, can be made dry to sweet and from a few differing grape varieties. Over the last few decades, more producers are moving toward less residual sugar which give us crunchy red fruit and bright acidity. I think all versions have their place but for our purposes, I am a big fan of Cleto Chiarli & Figli Vecchia Modena Lambrusco di Sorbara Secco ($20). The Sorbara Lambruscos are the lightest and most elegant with raspberry, cherry, and ethereal floral notes that are reminiscent of violets.

Sauvignon Blanc is another extremely versatile variety that is often overlooked as a great food partner. Although this grape has made the Loire Valley, France, northern Italy and the country of New Zealand famous for their Sauvignon Blanc, there are other regions that have shown great leaps in quality while maintaining attractive retail pricing.

Slovenian Sauvignon Blanc

Goriška Brda is part of the larger Primorski wine region located in Slovenia along the Italian border. Nestled in the foothills of the Julian Alps, this region more than qualifies as heroic viticulture, with its brutal winters and unforgiving Bora winds. It’s here that the Giocato brand sources its grapes from trusted local growers. Under the guise of the renowned winemaker Aleks Simčič, these cool climate wines are born.

Although all the wines in the Giocato portfolio are worth a try, I focused in on Giocato Sauvignon Blanc 2022($16). The taught acidity with notes of citrus (grapefruit), lemongrass and mineral undertones are a knockout pairing with homemade guacamole and the world’s finest South Carolina shrimp.

Nebbiolo Rosé

When deciding on a rosé for food pairing, I gravitate toward bolder expressions rather than the popular Provencial style. Bolder grape varieties are one factor as well as the process of how the wine gets to that pink color. Provencial rosés are mostly made from direct press, resulting in a lighter, more elegant style. The saignée method comes from “bleeding off” some of the juice early in the process to concentrate the red wine and give a resultant rosé as a side product.

Vallana Rosato Nebbiolo Colline Novaresi DOC 2023 ($18) not only uses this production method but also is 100% Nebbiolo grape. This combination makes for a rosé that is bold but with subtle tannins, crunchy acidity and interesting aromatics (strawberry, cherry, citrus, and rose petal). The versatility of this wine allows it to pair with our aforementioned charcuterie and shrimp but also is a hit with Asian inspired chicken wings.

Something about football awakens the grill master in my soul. The smell of charcoal mixed with the aromas of meat undergoing the Maillard reaction seems to be an appropriate primer for two teams beating the tar out of one another. So, finding a wine that will pair with multiple grilled fare, have an interesting level of obscurity without associated sticker shock seems like a tall task.

Loire Valley Red

Nonetheless, Mary Taylor Valençay Rouge 2022 ($19) checks all those boxes exceeding my expectations. The wine is a classic “country” style blend containing somewhat unusual bedfellows, 35% Gamay, 35% Côt (local name for Malbec), and 30% Pinot Noir. Interesting combination of aromatics and flavors from the trio of grapes presents as cherry, blackberry, currant, and fresh cracked black peppercorns. The palate has both a fruity element and some sturdy but fine-grained tannins. In keeping with the pigskin motif, this wine will pair splendidly with pork barbecue (or barbecue chicken).

Both College and Professional football seasons are starting and thus months of opportunity to gather, cook and imbibe. As your creative juices flow like the fat rendering from my pork shoulder, don’t omit the possibility of some fermented grape juice to add to your enjoyment. Spouting obscenities at the officials with a red solo cup in hand and appropriate colored laundry on your back, there is little chance of anyone accusing you of being bougie; even with wine in that cup.