parking space for tailgating at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where the average February high is 40 degrees, is $900.

You gonna drink a $6.99 six-pack of light beer with that? I think not. At such prices, the appropriate drink would be more like a $2,000 vintage Krug champagne.

To be more practical, you could spend the same amount to buy a 52-inch flat-screen TV, back up your truck to the patio door and throw a tailgate party in the 72-degree comfort of your family room.

Either way, here are some wines with friendly prices to go with the requisite chow:

Five-alarm chili: 2010 Shenandoah Vineyards Zinfandel, Amador County, Calif.: It's got huge body and tons of fruit to handle all that heat; $10.

Fried chicken: Nonvintage Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava Spanish Sparkling Wine: Big bubbles, creamy, green apple flavors; $9. Bubbly with KFC? Sure. Those scrubbing bubbles strip the fat from your palate and refresh it for the next bite. (But no, I wouldn't use the Krug for this.)

Corn chips, Cheetos, pretzels, peanuts, etc.: Nonvintage Barefoot Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, California: light-bodied, golden apple flavors, crisp enough to help you lick that neon orange stuff off your fingers; $7.

Twinkies: Admit it - you love 'em: Nonvintage Cadoro Moscato Spumante by Cantine Maschio, Italy: Big, fat bubbles and sweet orange flavors to wash down your guilty pleasure; $13.

Ham, slow-roasted with pineapple slices: 2010 El Coto de Rioja Rosado, Spain: Crisp and dry, with tart strawberry flavors. Pink wine for pink meat; it works; $10. Be careful, though, not to let the beer drinkers see you sipping pink wine in a Super Bowl parking lot.

Rib-eye steak, well-marbled, grilled black on the outside, raw in the middle: 2010 Xplorador Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Valley, Chile: rich and full-bodied, with enough tannin to handle the fat that makes rib-eyes taste better than filet mignon; $8.

Baby-back ribs, dry-rubbed, cooked all day over indirect heat in your Weber: 2010 Casillero del Diablo Syrah by Concha y Toro, Rapel Valley, Chile: big black cherry and spice flavors to handle that porcine perfection; $12.

Tacos, burritos, fajitas and other spicy Mexican favorites: 2009 Penfolds "Koonunga Hill" Shiraz, South Eastern Australia: Zingy, spicy, very fruity with just a hint of fire-dampening sweetness; $8.

Mom's triple-fudge brownies: Nonvintage Cockburn's Special Reserve Port, Portugal: Port with chocolate one of nature's most compelling flavor combinations, rich, generous and sweet, with dark berry flavors; $14.

Just plain sipping: Nonvintage Mionetto Prosecco Brut, Valdobbiadene, Italy: Light-bodied, lemon-lime flavors, low alcohol, you can sip this like light beer from the first pregame show through the postgame interviews; $10.

Featuring Jaboulet P45 Rosé • Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Setilles • El Coto Rioja Reserva.

Big Thanks to Matt and Kirk for this one!

Fantastic Fall Wines

Submitted by admin on November 5, 2010 – 4:52 pmNo Comment

There’s a nip in the air, and that means it’s time to shift our focus toward the fall’s cooler days, cooler nights and red wine.

Those light and bright summer whites are making room for richer and more full-bodied wines — both white and red. It’s time to head down to the wine cellar (or over to the wine rack) to begin the transition to medium-bodied wines, ones that work well with autumn’s erratic temperatures and seasonal foods. This month we share ten easy drinking favorites that pair beautifully with fall menus. All were selected because we love them, not according to price, so you will find an organic Argentine Malbec that retails for $10 or less to a $50+ (gasp!) Chardonnay.

El Coto de Rioja Crianza, 2006 from Spain is a perfect addition to fall and makes for the classic Rioja marriage of wine and wood. Made from 100% Tempranillo from Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja, this sleek red is created in a modern-style, with intense red fruit that combines the fresh, crushed strawberry and red cherry flavors typical of Tempranillo with expressive hints of vanilla and oak. It’s spicy, with gentle tannins and bright acidity, offering a rich, ripe finish. This style of wine just calls out for hearty beef — covered with black pepper, grilled or braised. It’s spectacular paired with “game birds,” paella, Parmigiano Reggiano or Asiago cheese, but it’s also an easy drinking wine to pair with a “the works” pizza and football on the side. Around $12

Cuma Malbec, 2007, a certified organic wine produced by Michel Torino Estate in Cafayate Valley, Argentina, was hidden in the southern hemisphere section of my wine cellar. Cuma means “pure and clear” in Aymará, the language of a tribe who once inhabited the region. This lively red-violet wine exhibits opulent aromas of bright cherry and plum jam, with raisin, vanilla and rosemary notes. There is plenty of ripe fruit, date-raisin flavors, and soft, sweet tannins. There’s a trace of nuts and spice on the long finish. Red wine lover’s pair this with chicken — barbecued, baked, broiled, roasted, or sauced like Chicken Cacciatore. A perfect party or get-together red, it also pairs well with pork, sausages, hard and semi-hard cheeses, calzone, burgers, cheesesteaks, cold cuts, and lasagna. Pastas with meat, vegetable, tomato, pesto or marinara sauces love this wine. This should become a staple in your wine collection. Around $10

Pumphouse Shiraz, 2007 hails from Backsberg Estate in Paarl, South Africa. This Malbec (12%) and Shiraz (88%) blend is a bold, full-bodied Shiraz. It’s very distinctive with roasted mesquite flavorings, and lots of mouth-watering black cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and black currant fruit blending with anise, vanilla, and a graphite notes. The long, smoky finish lets an espresso hint linger, allowing the wine to pair very well with dark chocolate. For more substantial pairings, steak, lamb, venison, or chili make for a nice meal. For snacking, cheesy dishes, Parmesan, Asiago, Gorgonzola or bleu cheese with Prosciutto are magically delicious with this wine. Around $19

Hugel Pinot Gris, 2006 is a rich, yet bone-dry wine that is savory and creamy on the palate and has generous acidity to balance its fullness. The aromas are fresh floral and spice with a bit of earth. There are apple-pie and lemon curd notes, sidling up to aromas of pear, jasmine, lime blossoms and smoky hints of moss, fern, and mushrooms. Full-bodied, balanced, and nicely structured, it’s a fruit-driven wine with delicious acidity. The lively, juicy fruit flavors offer a hint of sweetness. Ripe pears orbit around citrus and peach notes that make for solid pairing potential with seafood, poultry, veal, or mushroom risotto. The wine’s cinnamon and cardamom notes will bring out the savory side of autumn pumpkins and apples. Around $20

 Nothing says fall like a good white burgundy. Even the “anything-but-chardonnay” types will find Olivier Leflaive Meursault Premier Cru Charmes, 2006 something special. Yes, it’s pricey, but for a special meal, Meursault is a delight. It is a rich, round, elegant and powerful wine, with a ripe nose of white flowers, peach, pear and apricot. There is a hint of brioche that serves as a refined introduction to the clean, crisp and naturally pure sweet flavors that this generous medium-bodied wine offers. The excellent vibrancy and a silky texture displays plenty of citrus-like acidity and finesse. This is a perfect accompaniment to calf’s sweetbread, lobster or cream dishes, and can be served with all kinds of cheeses, fish, poultry and any white meat with cream. This is a charming, enjoyable wine that’s definitely worth the price. Around $65

El Coto de Rioja Crianza, 2006 from Spain is a perfect addition to fall and makes for the classic Rioja marriage of wine and wood. Made from 100% Tempranillo from Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja, this sleek red is created in a modern-style, with intense red fruit that combines the fresh, crushed strawberry and red cherry flavors typical of Tempranillo with expressive hints of vanilla and oak. It’s spicy, with gentle tannins and bright acidity, offering a rich, ripe finish. This style of wine just calls out for hearty beef — covered with black pepper, grilled or braised. It’s spectacular paired with “game birds,” paella, Parmigiano Reggiano or Asiago cheese, but it’s also an easy drinking wine to pair with a “the works” pizza and football on the side. Around $12

A Fruity White with Grilled Cheese

El Coto de Rioja White 2009

Kim Marcus
Posted: October 25, 2010

One of my favorite comfort foods for an evening meal is a grilled cheese sandwich. But I’ve added a few twists over the years, as my culinary horizons have expanded. My latest version, enjoyed on a cool autumn night in the midst of the baseball playoffs, featured ciabatta filled with aged cheddar and sliced tomatoes that was then pan-grilled in duck fat. It would have been even better with sliced red onions layered in, but that’s where my wife, Wendy, draws the line. Instead, I topped it off with her homemade chili sauce.

It’s quite a sammy, as my colleague Bruce Sanderson told me recently—a dish that calls out for a hearty wine. I found just the ticket with the El Coto de Rioja White 2009. Made from the Viura grape (also called Macabeo), this wine from Spain’s most famous appellation features lots of fresh fruit flavors, including juicy bosc pear and quince, with hints of tarragon and apricot on the finish, all backed by fresh acidity.

The winemaking is refreshingly straightforward as well—cold maceration with the must for 12 to 24 hours and then fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 15 days, with a short time in the bottle before release. It was just the ticket to balance the rich, toothsome flavors of the cheddar, duck fat and hot pepper notes of the sandwich. I rated it 87 points, non-blind, and it’s a heck of a bargain at just $10 a bottle.

WineSpectator.com members: Read the original blind-tasting review for El Coto de Rioja White 2009 (87, $10).