Chef Harry Smith urges Americans not to think of Super Sunday as a beer-only occasion. "From the Terrace Suite (ALLTEL Stadium's fine dining restaurant) to at-home get-togethers, fans are looking to add some variety to the game day menu– and that means adding wine to the mix," he explains. "Sports fans have developed much more sophisticated palates in recent years" adds Smith, "Pairing wine with food is now an everyday way to enhance the total dining experience"

So whether you choose to stick to wings and pretzels or try Chef Smith's specialties like Voodoo Shrimp, White Bean and Basil Dip and crisp Chicken Panzanella Bites, wine's versatility offers great crowd-pleasing options, and makes it easy to turn your living room into a luxury box for a Super Sunday party this year.

There's no reason to stress about selecting wines to serve on Super Sunday. Have fun with your wine choices and your guests will DO the same. Stick with what you like – choose food-friendly red and white options and you can't go wrong. Versatile Sauvignon Blanc is a crowd-pleasing white wine offering. For guests who prefer reds, supple and mellow Merlot will showcase the flavors in Chef Smith's super recipes.

Here are some "Super Party Touchdown Tips,"; for a winning glass every time:

• Stick to the party-planning playbook.  When preparing for your party, plan for about two glasses of wine per guest.  To determine which types of wine, use the simple formula of 60% white wine and 40% red wine.  Champagne, sparkling wine and rosé are considered white wine for these calculations.
• Check out the wine aisle.  For Super Sunday, just make a trip down the wine aisle at the grocery store when you're stocking up on the rest of your party supplies.  With so many great wines readily available under $10, it's the perfect beverage to cheer on your team.
• Consider up-sizing.  Remember that there are a wide variety of magnum-sized wine bottles (1.5 liters) that hold 10 glasses of wine, compared to the regular 750 ml bottle of wine that pours 5 glasses.  Today's new generation of boxed wines are great party-friendly choices too.
• Don't worry about the glass.  From plastic party-ware tumblers to stemmed glassware - any glass can be a wine glass.  Feel free to serve wine in whichever glass will make your guests feel comfortable. 
  
• Re-seal 'em.  You don't have to dump those partially -consumed bottles post-party.  Just re-cork or twist the cap back on and your wine will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Courtesy of wine Market Council. For more information, visit www.wineanswers.com
Photos courtesy of wine Market Council.