Tuning into the Super Bowl from Sonoma County? Super Bowl eats and drinks

In Wine Country, there’s a rich tradition of watching the Super Bowl with delectable eats and drinks. Naturally the stakes are higher here in this cradle of culinary prowess with so many chefs, winemakers, vintners and sommeliers.

So if you’re planning to watch the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams go at it, what’s your drink strategy? If you don’t have your menu completely sorted, there’s still time to up your game. Here are a few suggestions:

Keep a bright sparkler and a crisp gruner veltliner on hand because they marry well with cheese, charcuterie, chips and a broad assortment of dips from hummus to salsa. Meanwhile a tangy grenache will work well with spicy chicken wings, a snappy zinfandel will pair well with pulled pork, and a fiery Italian blend will mirror a meaty chili.

Here are some great picks that won’t disappoint:

Gloria Ferrer NV Sonoma Brut, Sonoma County at $22. It’s a vibrant sparkler with aromas and flavors of apple, black cherry, almond and toast. Creamy texture. Nice mousse. This bubbly edged out the other contenders, even those that scored higher because it’s an absolute steal for the caliber of sparkler.

Carlisle, 2016 Steiner Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County Gruner Veltliner at $30. The Carlisle has high toned stone fruit, crisp acidity and great minerality. It has notes of grapefruit, lime and a hint of apricot. The wine has great balance and finishes crisp. Striking.

Clos de Gilroy, Bonny Doon Vineyards, 2016 Grenache at $20. This is a bright grenache with generous fruit and snappy spice. Notes of raspberry, red currant, a hint of plum and cracked black pepper. The blend is 82% grenache and 18% syrah.

Kokomo, 2017 Pauline’s Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Zinfandel, 14.9 percent, $36. A jammy zin with generous fruit –– cherry and pomegranate –– and a hint of clove. Ripe tannins. Sassy.

The non-vintage Noceto Rosso from Amador County is $19 and it’s weighted to sangiovese, showcasing its tangy cherry fruit. Zesty and layered, with an undercurrent of spice, this disruptor red works. It’s a full-bodied blend that has generous fruit –– red and black –– with a lingering note of blackberry in the finish. The other varietals in the mix are barbera, petite sirah, syrah, aglianico and alicante bouschet.

In the end, a great line-up of wine serves two purposes. If your team wins, you’ll have a ready supply to celebrate. And if your team loses, well you’ll have plenty of wine in which to drown your sorrows.

You can reach Wine Writer Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.