Elevated Pairings for Game Day

Game day is about so much more than what’s happening on the field or who is playing. It’s a chance to come together with friends and family, lose yourself in the competition, and indulge in your favorite game day foods. 

From our vantage point, any event centered around food and friends must also feature fine wines. And it turns out that some of the classic game day dishes have flavor profiles that are well-suited for bold cabernet sauvignons and mouth-watering chardonnays. So, this game day, steer clear of the beer aisle and surprise your family and friends with elevated takes on game day favorites paired with our classic Napa wines.

Cast Iron Garlic Pepperoni Pizza with Reserve Chardonnay

Is there a more crowd-pleasing game day snack than pizza? The gooey cheese, salty meat, and yeasty dough will never steer you wrong. Turning this timeless classic into a baked deep dish and pairing it with our Reserve Chardonnay, however, will turn it into a game day moment no one will soon forget. A base of fresh mozzarella, pizza sauce, and cream cheese serves as the indulgent anchor while crisped pepperoni and a chewy garlic roll crust nod to the traditional flavor profile. Our chardonnay is full of fresh aromas of citrus blossom and honeysuckle and has a mouth-watering complexity and clean finish that creates a refreshing contrast to the dip. Serve the chardonnay chilled and the dip hot.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces thinly sliced and quartered pepperoni 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 3 minced fresh garlic cloves 
• 1 pound pizza dough 
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened  
• ½ cup pizza sauce  
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:

1. Start by softening the cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. 
2. Preheat oven to 400°F and adjust rack to middle position.
3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll or stretch the dough into a 14-inch circle and coat with your garlic oil. Evenly place into the skillet, pressing the dough up the edges.
4. Whisk the cream cheese and pizza sauce together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the sauce mixture on top of the pizza dough in the skillet.
5. Add the mozzarella and then place your pepperoni on top.
6. Put the skillet in the oven. Bake the pizza until it’s heated through, and the crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with basil as desired.

Elevated Pulled Pork Sliders with Maestro St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon

When the action in the game gets too intense, you need a snack and a glass of wine to cool it all down. For this, we can think of nothing better than a fresh take on pulled pork sliders paired with our Maestro St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon. The pork is simmered with a classic barbeque spice rub that has the perfect amount of salt and spice to complement the rich, red berry flavors and robust tannins in the cabernet.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup BBQ sauce
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 pounds of pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
• Toppings of your choice for the sandwiches and soft rolls to serve. We love a good BBQ sauce, crunchy lettuce, avocado, and bacon pieces.

Directions:

1. Combine all the spices, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Pat the pork dry and sprinkle spice mix all over.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add spiced pork and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer pork to a large bowl, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the meat to desired consistency.
3. In the meantime, add broth, BBQ sauce, and vinegar to the empty skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in the shredded pork and cook until heated through about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on toasted rolls with accouterments of your choice.

Cream Cheese Brownies with 2018 Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon

No party, and especially no game day party, is complete without something sweet. Brownies are of course a classic, but we wanted to take them up a level and add some complexity to go with our Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon. Slightly tangy cream cheese layered over a traditional brownie batter was the solution. Our Clone 6 is a stellar example of what a Rutherford cabernet can be, with deep aromas and flavors of dark fruit and strong, dense tannins. Together, the two are an indulgent pair that will take you to the last touchdown.

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling: 

• 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces 
• ½ cup sour cream 
• 2 tablespoons sugar  
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour  

Brownie Batter: 

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour  
• ½ teaspoon baking powder  
• ½ teaspoon salt  
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine  
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter  
• 1 ¼ cups sugar  
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Directions:

1. Start by making the cream cheese filling. Microwave the cream cheese until soft, about 20 to 30 seconds. Add sour cream, sugar, and flour and whisk to combine. Set aside.  
2. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat to 325 degrees. Lay foil in an 8-inch square baking pan so that some hang over the edges. Grease the foil. 
3. Next, make the brownie batter. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter until melted, about 1-2 minutes.  
4. Whisk sugar, eggs, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Add melted chocolate mixture and whisk until incorporated. Add flour mixture and fold to combine.  
5. Transfer ½ cup of batter to the bowl you used to melt the chocolate. Spread the remaining batter in the pan with the foil. Spread cream cheese filling evenly over the batter.  
6. Microwave the bowl of reserved batter until it’s warm and pourable, about 10 seconds. Use a spoon to dollop the softened batter over the cream cheese filling and then use a knife to swirl the two batters together, making a marble pattern. 
7. Bake for 34-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove when a toothpick in the center comes out clean.  
8. Let it cool in a pan on a wire rack for an hour. Serve with a glass of our Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon.