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Professional sporting events are often as predictable as the seasons of the year.
The Masters and March Madness in early spring.
The French Open and Kentucky Derby soon after.
Major League Baseball nearly every month of the year.
Then came 2020.
For months, there were no live sports.
Now, it’s almost impossible to keep up with everything.
Along with all the traditional sports this time of year, there are more sports now than are humanly possible to watch. Sometimes, it feels like trying to drink water out of a fire hydrant.
Honestly, I never imagined I would be watching the US Open tennis finals, Tour De France cycling race, Celtics playoff basketball, the NHL playoffs and the opening weekend of English Premiere League soccer, college football and the NFL – and don’t forget baseball – all on the same weekend.
But why complain? Let’s embrace it. Let’s celebrate it. Hopefully, we’ll never have another sports season like this fall.
So in honor of the greatest sports season ever, here are a few suggested wines to go with each sporting event happening now or in the near future. Hope you enjoy.
WINES RECOMMENDED FOR THE GREATEST SPORTS SEASON EVER
(The Usual Suspects)
NFL
Let’s start with the biggest and most popular sports league in the country. Nothing stops the NFL from business as usual. This year is no exception. And here in New England, it will be interesting to see how the Cam Newton era of the Patriots plays out, along with the Tom Brady era in Tampa. (1-1 so far for both.)
What Wine To Drink – NFL football thrives on speed, brute force and displays of amazing athleticism. A thriving fantasy league among its fans probably also has a lot to do with its appeal. So next time you’re watching The Red Zone to see how your picks did this week, break open a big, hearty red wine to go with chicken wings, nachos and stat sheets. Two, big red wines I especially enjoy are the 2017 Cuttings Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($55 Suggested Retail Price) or 2018 Laya Almansa Red Wine ($9 at Table & Vine in West Springfield).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Along with the NFL, college football dominates any fall sports season. I won’t say much more since there are so many other sports to get to in this week’s column. Plus, it’s not like college football in the fall is anything earth shattering.
What Wine To Drink – You don’t have to be a college football fan to enjoy one of the best parts of the game – tailgating. Many fans spend hours or even days eating and drinking outside the stadium. Loyalties to a specific team and rivalries run deep among fans. And when it comes to rivalries in wine, nothing beats the California, France face off of 1976, when several California wines beat out French wines in the infamous blind tasting known as The Judgment of Paris. So go ahead and splurge a little on one of the California wines that won the competition – Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon ($49 SRP) for fans of red wine or Chateau Montelena Chardonnay ($53 SRP) for white wine fans.
MLB
As a lifelong baseball fan, I have to admit I’m actually enjoying the 60-game season instead of the usual 162 game slog. I’m also amazed that a sport so tied to tradition has experimented so much this year – 7 inning double-header games, a runner on second in extra innings.
What Wine To Drink – Baseball is a methodical game of inches. The difference between a ball and a strike can sometimes be impossible to tell. The best games slowly build the drama, especially in a one-run pitching duel. Then again, there’s also something soothing about simply flaking out in the backyard and half listening to a game on the radio while you reading a book, taking a nap or mowing the lawn. Either way, may I suggest a great American wine for America’s Favorite Pastime – Turley Wine Cellars Old Vines Zinfandel ($28 SRP), an earthy, complex, delightful, bold red wine from California’s Napa Valley.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE SOCCER
Right up there with the NHL, NBA and MLB when it comes to long, grueling seasons is the EPL, English Premier League soccer. And like the NBA and NHL, the EPL took a few months off earlier this year due to the pandemic before crowning the inevitable champion, Liverpool, and relegating (sending the worst teams down to the minors – imagine that, Mets fans?) hapless teams like Norwich, my beloved Canaries. (It’s a long story.) Now, it’s back to business as usual, with a new season running from August to May.
What Wine To Drink – Fans of soccer (known as football in every country in the world beside the United States) have patience and passion. Like baseball, there are often long stretches where very little seems to happen during the game. Then in a flash, there’s a flurry of action and a goal that can change the course of a game or sometimes even an entire season. The EPL also features some of the best football players from around the world. For fellow EPL fans, I recommend a red wine made with passion and precision – a Malbec from Argentina. Specifically, the 2018 Aruma ($15 SRP), an outstanding, earthy Malbec made by Bodegas Caro, a terrific winery I will write about in more detail soon. Until then, goooooooooooooal !
(The New Editions)
NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS
I didn’t grow up a hockey fan. To be honest, the game is often so fast, I sometimes have a hard time following the puck around the ice. But as someone married to a Canadian from Southern Ontario, the hockey hotbed of the world, I have grown to appreciate the game for its combination of blazing speed, brute force and mind-boggling shots. (How anyone ever scores sometimes seems impossible.) This season, the Stanley Cup Finals are taking place in September, four months later than usual. But better late than never.
What Wine To Drink – I never miss an opportunity to recommend Canadian wine. And with The Stanley Cup Finals taking place between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning in a bubble in Edmonton, Alberta and many of the players on both teams from Canada (14 for Tampa, 13 for Dallas), I figured now was as good a time as any to recommend one of my favorite Canadian wines from one of my favorite wineries in Ontario’s wildly-underrated Niagara region – 2015 Angel’s Gate Mountainview Cabernet Franc ($29.95 SRP). This red wine abounds with fresh, vibrant, subtle fruit flavors. And if you can’t find this wine, try pretty much any Cabernet Franc, dry Riesling or Icewine from Ontario’s Niagara region. They’re outstanding. And if you don’t agree with me, feel free to drop the gloves and I’ll see you in the “sin bin,” the nickname for the penalty box.
FRENCH OPEN TENNIS
Watching the French Open AFTER the U.S. Open without Wimbledon in between feels surreal. But I’ll take it as a die-hard tennis fan who lives for Grand Slam tennis. I’m especially interested to see if The King of Clay (Rafael Nadal) can win his 13th title at Roland Garros (the official name of the French Open) or if he’ll be stopped by rising stars like this year’s U.S. Open Champion Dominic Thiem or the methodical and sometimes temperamental Novak Djokovic.
What Wine To Drink – You have to ask what wine to drink at the FRENCH Open? I think it’s fair to say you should be drinking French wine. And not to be too cliched but honestly, you can’t go wrong with the perfect wine pairing of Roland Garros and Champagne. There are many outstanding Champagnes from France’s Champagne region. But I have to admit I have a soft spot for Taittinger Brut La Francaisse ($45 at Table & Vine) – crisp, dry and refreshing as a Roger Federer backhand winner. You will be missed this tournament, Roger.
THE PREAKNESS
Like the Grand Slams in tennis, horse racing’s Triple Crown schedule has been completely turned on its head. So instead of the being the second race in May, this year’s Preakness will the final race on Oct. 3.
What Wine To Drink – The race in Baltimore, Maryland might not have the same sizzle since there’s no chance of Triple Crown winner this season. But that’s no reason to not break out of bottle of something lively and refreshing on race day. May I recommend a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc? Two refreshing, options include the delightful 2019 Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc Te Muna ($22 SRP) or the consistently great 2019 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc ($15 SRP).
THE MASTERS
The idea of watching The Masters golf tournament any other time of the year besides April seems absolutely bizarre. To be honest, I’m excited to see what fall looks like at Augusta, Georgia when the tournament takes place from Nov. 12 to 15 and to see if Tiger Woods can repeat as this year’s champion and tie Jack Nicklaus for the most Masters wins (six).
What Wine To Drink – The Masters is all about tradition. Very little changes at this tournament, for better or worse. Unlike other majors in golf, The Masters is played at the same course every year. Each hole is named after a flower. There’s an annual Champions Dinner and Par 3 match before the tournament. Many of the same players participate year in and year out. But that’s also part of the appeal. You know what to expect. You know where the drama lurks on the course. So if you decide to watch a round of The Masters this fall, may I recommend a bottle of dependable but reliable bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. Specifically, I really enjoy the luxurious, earthy Pinot Noirs from Cristom Vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Prices range from roughly $25 to $70 a bottle for these red wines. No Green Jacket required.
GIRO D’ ITALIA and VUELTA A ESPANA
Many of you are probably scratching your heads and wondering what on Earth I’m even talking about. These two races are cycling races. But not just any cycling races. They are two of the three, annual “Grand Tours.” The third one is the best known cycling race in the world – the Tour De France. And if you happened to catch the race this past month, you’ll probably understand why I’m so excited by these two races in Italy and Spain. This year’s Tour De France was one of the most exciting races ever, with the winner decided right near the end of the 2,165-mile-long race.
What Wine To Drink – The postponed Giro in Italy will be held between Oct. 3 and 25, while the Vuelta in Spain runs from Oct. 20 to Nov. 8. Trying to pick a single, great wine from Italy or Spain is impossible given the dizzying array of great wines from both countries. But if I had to pick two, great Spanish and Italian wines, my recommendations would be an elegant, refined Ripasso from Italy’s Valpolicella region and a powerful, robust Rioja from Spain. Specifically, I’m a big fan of the 2015 Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore ($27.99 at Table & Vine) and the 2016 Vina Pomal Crianza Rioja ($17 SRP). Forza! Vamos!
NBA PLAYOFFS
I saved the best for last. Any discussion about this unique, fall sports season (and wine) has to include the NBA. Who could have imagined six months ago we would be watching the playoffs in September and October? Actually, it’s not that surprising since their season seems to go on forever even during a normal year. But this year’s definitely different, with every team playing all their games in a bubble in Florida. Plus, the Celtics are still in the hunt for their 18th NBA title.
What Wine To Drink – Many NBA players love wine. Actually, they’re obsessed with it. Some players have their own wine labels. Many avidly collect wine. A few even have special suitcases for carrying bottles and wine glasses on the road during a normal season. And this season in the NBA Bubble, many players have had wine fridges and countless cases of wine sent to them in Florida.
To celebrate this unique season and their love of wine, may I suggest a bottle from France’s Burgundy region. If you’re looking for something reasonable, get a bottle of the 2019 Jean Marc Burgaud ‘Les Vignes de Lantignie’ Beaujolais Villages Rouge ($18 SRP), one of the best producers of affordable, vibrant, opulent red wines from Burgundy’s Beaujolais region.
If you feel like skipping a car payment this month, go full court and get the 2002 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle Musigny ‘Les Amoureuses’ Premier Cru. This red wine comes from Chambolle Musigny, one of my favorite villages in France’s famed Burgundy region. This elegant, smooth, luscious wine hits all the right notes. However, I am a bit hesitant to recommend this wine. And not just because of the price tag. (Around $600 a bottle on several wine auction websites.) It has more to do with the wine’s vintage. Yes, it’s an outstanding year ready to drink now. But 2002 was also the year the Lakers won their 14th NBA Championship. No offense, LeBron, but here’s hoping you don’t crack open this wine to celebrate the team’s 17th title. But if you do, please feel free to invite me over for glass – as long as you don’t mind me wearing my Celtic green.
Cheers!
Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.
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