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In honor of our very own Seattle Seahawks making it to Super Bowl XL we would like to feature a Super Bowl Party as our first Wine Party. Remember that this party plan doesn’t have to only be for the Super Bowl, or even football. Feel free to take what we give you and adapt it to fit with whatever sporting event interests you, including March Madness, the NBA championship, World Series, or even the Curling Finals at the Winter Olympics.

OK, first thing to keep in mind when it comes to planning an event for the Super Bowl, is that the actual football game is often an afterthought to the party itself. Locally this may be a little different this year than most, because of the Seahawks, but for future reference this is often the case. That's why you need to be sure you have all the necessities for a successful Super Bowl wine party.

1. THE WINE
Because this is a wine themed Super Bowl party of course the number one item should be the wine. While a party revolving around wine may sound a little too sophisticated and expensive, especially for the mass drinking and eating that often goes on during the Super Bowl, they can actually work out very well. First, don’t feel like you need to banish beer from your party. There will always be someone that prefers a nice cold one over a glass of wine any day (I know there are times when we do). So be prepared by stocking up with plenty of frosty cold beer.
Second, get your guests to help supply the featured goods. The point of this party is to explore and share the many thrills wine and football have to offer, so simply ask each guest to bring a different bottle of wine. It can be their favorite wine or something they've been meaning to try, either way a bottle per person (or couple) should be plenty. Feel free to suggest a price cap, so people who bring less expensive wines don’t feel bad or those with the high dollar bottle don’t feel ripped off. Football teams have salary caps and still manage to be good enough to make it to the Super Bowl, so even lower priced wines can be winners. After all, your friends are as new to this whole wine thing as you are, and you don't want to scare them away with the thought of a high dollar admission fee (or pricey bottle).

Some suggestions for good (easily accessible) budget minded wine:
Barnard Griffin – 2003 Columbia Valley Cabernet ($17) or Merlot ($17)
Chateau Ste. Michelle - 2003 Sauvignon Blanc ($10) or Cold Creek Riesling ($14)
Columbia Crest – 2003 Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon ($12) or 2002 G.E. Chardonnay ($11)
Columbia Winery – 2002 Columbia Valley Syrah ($10) or 2001 Merlot ($15)
Covey Run – 2003 Columbia Valley Syrah ($9) or 2004 Gewürztraminer ($7) or 2003 Chardonnay ($9)
Hogue Cellars – 2004 Columbia Valley Pinot Grigio ($9) or 2004 Genesis Riesling ($15)
L’Ecole No. 41 – 2004 Barrel Fermented Semillon ($15) or 2004 Walla Voila Chenin Blanc ($13)
Lone Canary Winery – 2003 Columbia Valley Red ($15)
Hoodsport Winery – 2003 Columbia Valley Cabernet-Merlot ($9)
Red Diamond Winery – 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon or 2002 Merlot (around $10 each)
Sagelands Vineyard – 2002 Four Corners Cabernet Sauvignon ($12)
Snoqualmie Vineyards – 2004 Winemaker’s Select Riesling ($7) or 2002 Rosebud Vineyard Cabernet ($15)

2. FOOD
Nothing is more highly regarded at a traditional Super Bowl party, especially now that the commercials aren’t what they used to be, than the food. And within every Super Bowl food selection there will always be some common staples, including tortilla chips con queso (as well as salsa and other assorted dips), a meat and cheese party platter (vegetables optional), assorted crackers and chips, pizza and of course something from the grill (burgers, brats, etc.). Below is a list of these commonly found Super Bowl selections and their associated wine pairing, as well as some additional finger foods:

Potato Chips - Light and crisp Pinot Gris will balance the oil and salt of classic potato chips. Merlot is delicious with onion-flavored chips, or with chips and sour cream dip. Zinfandel stands up nicely to barbecue chips.
Popcorn - A light Chardonnay has a nice fruit and tart acid balance, which is great with popcorn, especially cheese-flavored or buttered popcorn.
Pretzels - A fruity wine with a little sweetness, like White Zinfandel, makes a nice counterpoint to the salty pretzel, and works even better as a complement to pretzels and a tangy mustard dip.
Tortilla Chips & Salsa - It's hard to beat a fresh glass of Chardonnay with its supple fruitiness as a complement to a lively salsa. If nachos are your variation on a theme, a spicy red wine like Syrah or Sangiovese will be a delicious match.
Vegetable Tray - Smooth and fruity Merlot balances the herbaceous veggies, but for those who want to accentuate the flavors, a crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc will fit right in with your snack and please your palate, too.
Meat & Cheese Tray - Sliced red (bologna and ham) and white (turkey and chicken) sandwich meats aren’t very powerful so a lighter fruity red such as a Pinot Noir works very well, or a dry, fruity Chardonnay.
Pizza - The ultimate party food is also the most wine-friendly snack imaginable. You can't go wrong with Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, and red wines like Sangiovese, Syrah and Zinfandel should be in every pizza-lover's pantry.
Hamburgers & Brats - Cabernets are a classic pairing with a hardy grilled burger. A dry Riesling will soften the spiciness of a brawt and there is plenty of ripe fruit flavor to counter the heat of assorted sausages. Merlot also works very well with both.
Spicy Nut & Cracker Mix (possibly Chex mix) - A slightly sweet Sparkling Wine goes well with nuts and the wine's sweetness offsets the spice. Mixed nuts are especially good with a soft, fruity red wine Sangiovese or Pinot Noir.
Shrimp Cocktail - The sweet fruit (peach, pear, honeysuckle) undertones of a Riesling help handle the heat of the cocktail sauce, while the lemony tart characteristics of a Sauvignon Blanc help to accentuate the shrimp.
Crab Cakes - A Chardonnay with its buttery undertones complements the richness of seafood.
Prosciutto and Melon (this is actually very good and easy to make) - A dry Sparkling Wine will nicely complement the sweetness of the melon.

3. MORE WINE (in case the game’s a blowout)
Throughout the course of the game many bottles of wine are sure to be consumed (estimate at least 1⁄2 bottle per person), so in order to make sure you still have some left over, once the game is finished, be sure to put a few bottles out of site. Because the party doesn’t have to stop once the game is over. You may also want to have a couple bottles of bubbly on hand in case the right team wins, which would be the Seahawks!

Below are a couple bottles of recommended Sparkling Wine:
Domaine Ste. Michelle – Columbia Valley Extra Dry Sparkling Wine ($11)
Domaine Ste. Michelle – Columbia Valley Blanc de Noir ($12)

4. MUSIC (for after the game)
In case the game is a blowout, as it often seems to be, or for once it’s over you should have some music on hand for those willing to push through to the wee hours, which will hopefully be quite a few if you through a successful party. These days music can come quite easily with a pre-arranged play list on your iPod or audio CD burned from your MP3 collection. You may want a couple different options, including slow music if your feeling casual, rock if your team won and you're in the mood for celebrating, or R&B/Funk if the wine has gone to your head and you're feeling saucy!

When planning a Super Bowl Wine Party one more detail that shouldn’t be overlooked is providing a beverage receptacle for your guest’s wine…in other words a wine glass. This can get expensive so we suggest checking out IKEA, where quality glassware is always available at reasonable prices. Other inexpensive options are thrift stores (don’t worry your wine glasses don’t have to match) or discount party stores. You can also rent glasses from a local party rental establishment. Without glasses your wine can always be drunk out of paper cups, which is definitely a preferable option while tailgating, but you might as well get glass if it’s available. After that having a good time is all you have to worry about. Cheers!