Gridiron and Wine - Le Garage Newsletter 2.10.23

Dear Wine Friends,

If I had to choose one wine for Super Bowl Sunday it would have to be Cabernet Sauvignon. Not only will it pair well with Super Bowl fare, the research below resulted in a resounding vote for “Cabernet Sauvignon” as the wine of choice among the players themselves … understanding, of course, for the winning team it will be Champagne!

There are 16 NFL players and coaches who own wineries; 15 of them competed in the Super Bowl, 6 of them were Quarterbacks, 4 of them played with the Green Bay Packers.  In short, all of them have a Cabernet Sauvignon on the market and one makes a Syrah.  

While Gallo Winery, who owns Barefoot, Apothic, and William Hill Winery, is now the official wine sponsor of the NFL, teams have their own favorites: 

Setting the brands aside, the grape for Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers – Cabernet Sauvignon.

New York Jets - Sonoma/Napa blend of primarily Zinfandel, plus Merlot, Syrah and Petite Sirah.

Tennessee Titans - California red blend

The Players and Their Wineries:

ince I don’t have to choose only one wine, I will be also be pouring Syrah. While its the Jets, Jets, Jets who have selected a Syrah blend for their favorite wine, it’s the short term Eagles player, Terry Hoage, who grows the Syrah grape in his Paso Robles vineyard, TH Estate Wines. Terry himself is the winemaker. Somehow this justifies the Syrah choice for me … or perhaps it’s just that I love a good Syrah!

Go Birds!

Sharon