Super snooty

In a Super Bowl that pits beer against wine, wine is undoubtedly the underdog. Here to silence the critics and pep-talk the loser (sort of) is Adam Nagel from the wine department at Weiland's Gourmet Market.

There's no reason wine can't be part of a party - "If you're into watching Super Bowl games with your pinky finger extended," Nagel joked.

But bottled vino - and even some bubbly - has plenty to offer when paired with Nagel's favorite gameday dishes: chili, spicy jambalaya and barbequed wings. And he's surrounded by plenty of cooking knowledge at the Clintonville foodie destination.

If nothing else, keep his suggested bottles on hand for the pre-party kitchen preparations or post-game leftovers.

Fritz Windisch Riesling Classic (2006)

Region: Rheinhessen, Germany

Cost: $10

Flavors: Dry and crisp citrus, lime and green apple, with a sharply acidic finish

Goes well with: Spicy chili or jambalaya

Adam Nagel's advice: "I wouldn't want to go with anything overtly sweet that's going to overpower everything. You get a little bit of sweetness out of the Reisling - you still get a nice, dry, clean finish - so that kind of works well with the spicy flavors."

Old Zin Vines zinfandel (2005)

Region: Lodi, California

Cost: $15

Flavors: Ripe, dark berries and sweet plums with a spicy, peppery finish

Goes well with: Cookout flavors like wings or ribs

Adam Nagel's advice: "When I think of zinfandel, I immediately think of barbeque or smoked ribs, barbequed ribs. Not that you're going to be barbequing on Super Bowl Sunday, but I know a lot of people who do barbeque wings or stuff like that."

Gruet blanc de noirs (non-vintage)

Region: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Cost: $18

Flavors: Fizzy fruits from its largely pinot noir and chardonnay base

Goes well with: Solo, or sip it with just about anything

Adam Nagel's advice: "If you're rooting for one particular team, it's your celebratory thing. You can celebrate with the team and fizz some bubbly all over your house and ruin a bunch of stuff in your house - or in someone else's house."