Get Your Wine Game on for the 2010 World Cup

The 2010 World Cup has officially started and everyone seems to have #worldcup fever! But rather than figuring out who’s got the better team based on soccer odds, let’s pick a winning team based on which country has the better wine! Buleuah!

Korea Republic v Greece

In Korea, wine is enjoyed only by a small portion of the population and has not yet achieved a place in the mainstream culture. Korean drinkers prefer beer and a distilled spirit called soju. As for viticulture, Korea has roughly 40,000 acres of vineyards, primarily used to make table grapes and dried fruit, focusing more on the fruit and medicinal wines. Can I convince you soccer fanatics to drink a dried fruit wine on game day? Oh, come on, drink it, you’ll like it! Alright, I give up, the winner is GREECE!

Greece has been modernizing their wine making practices for a while now and they’ve been experimenting with 300 indigenous grapes. I’ll list them and test you later. Seriously, you’ll be impressed with the quality and styles produced. Don’t be intimidated by the indigenous grapes named Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Roditis  and Moschofilero.

What to drink on game day:

Value red: 2007 Domaine Porto Carras Limnio
Value white: 2008 Boutari Moschofilero
Top pick red: 2006 Alpha Estate
Top pick white: 2008 Gaia Estate Thalassitis Santorini Greece

Argentina v Nigeria

It’s difficult to grow wine in Nigeria because of their climatic conditions. It’s not impossible as they have small pockets of growing regions where the conditions support growing like the Mambilla Plateau and some northern parts of the country.

…but compare this to Argentina and it’s a no-brainer win. Argentina has had their game on for some time now and is considered one of the largest wine producing regions in the world. They are also known for the greatest concentration of high-altitude vineyards, and growers are known to challenge other growers to plant higher with each new vineyard.

What to drink on game day:

Value red: 2008 Alamos Malbec Mendoza
Value white: 2007 Bodega Weinert “Carrascal” Blanco Lujan de Cuyo
Top pick red: 2007 Pascual Toso “Alta Reserve” Malbec Mendoza
Uber top pick red: 2007 Achával Ferrer “Finca Bella Vista” Malbec Mendoza
Top pick white: 2007 Catena Alta Chardonnay

South Africa v Mexico

Some of you may be surprised that Mexico makes wine. Believe it or not, they grow grapes in seven states (yes, seven)!  Although vines were planted within one year of Spain invading Mexico back in 1521, most of the wine produced today is made into brandy. It’s not as if Mexico couldn’t produce some good ‘ol juice, it’s simply that the culture doesn’t support it — wine isn’t part of their culture.

So there you have it – it’s another no brainer here. The winner is South Africa!  Whether you prefer red or white, they have so many wines to choose from to fit your style and budget.

What to drink on game day:

Value red: 2008 Kanonkop “Kadette” Cape Blend Stellenbosch
Value white: 2008 Neil Ellis “Groenkloof” Sauvignon Blanc
Top pick red: 2006 Rust en Vrede Estate Red Blend Stellenbosch
Top pick white: 2008 De Morgenzon Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch

England v U.S.A.

Sorry England, this one doesn’t require an explanation. We’ll give you soccer but the U.S. kicks it in the wine department.

What to drink on game day:

Value red wine: Hyatt Merlot
Value white wine: 2007 Eyrie Dundee Hills Pinot Gris
Top pick white: 2007 Shafer “Red Shoulder Ranch” Carneros Chardonnay
Top pick white: 2006 Hermann J. Wiemer Finger Lakes Dry Riesling
Top pick white: 2007 Sbragia “Gamble Ranch” Napa Valley Chardonnay
Uber pick white: 2007 Peirson Meyer “Untitled Number 3” Sonoma Chardonnay
Top pick red: 2004 Ojai “Thompson Vineyard” Santa Ynez Valley Syrah
Top pick red: 2007 Spring Valley Vineyards “Uriah” Walla Walla Valley Red Wine
Uber pick red: 2004 Ribbon Ridge “Ridgecrest Vineyard” Wilamette Valley Pinot Noir

Algeria v Slovenia

This is once again a no brainer. The wine industry of Algeria and the appellation systems in which they work are based on the structure left behind by the colonial French. It’s hard to find good wine because of foreign investments and unfortunate government intervention, so it’s almost a default win for Slovenia.

Besides, Slovenia is considered the rising star among winemaking countries of the Western Balkans.  If you find indigenous grapes like Pinela, Ranina, Ribolla, Vitovska Grganja, and Zelen in your local market, I commend you — but you might have better luck finding an international variety like Cabernet, Merlot or Chardonnay.

What to drink on game day:

Red wine pick: 2005 Batic Rosso Vipava Valley
White wine pick: 2006 Guerila Zelen Vipava Valley, Slovenia

Serbia v Ghana

You didn’t know that Serbia was a grape producing region? Think again! There are nearly 173,000 acres of vineyards in Serbia, producing about 425,000 tons of grapes annually. Most of the varieties are not household names, consisting of grapes like the Belgrade Seedless, Prokupac, Sauvignon, Italian Riesling, Afus Ali, Vranac, Tamjanka, Krstac, Smederevka, and Dinka, but they also use a few international varieties like Cabernet and Chardonnay.

Don’t ask me where to by a Serbian wine though (unless of course, you live in Serbia!) I’ll give extra points to those who’ve drank a Serbian wine and can add a few tasting notes in the comments section.

…and as for Ghana, well, your guess is as good as mine.

What to drink on game day: BEER

Germany v Australia

I think this is a perfect time for a Riesling competition! Game on! Oh sure, we have other selections like Spätburgunder and Blaufränkisch from Germany and the big, creamy, chardonnay’s or spicy-cedary Shiraz from Australia, but it’s like comparing apples to oranges.  Our surveymonkey results for Riesling say GERMANY wins!

What to drink on game day:

White wine value pick: 2008 Schloss Lieser Estate Riesling
Uber pick: 2008 Dönnhoff Riesling Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Spätlese

If you prefer a red, then go with a Spätburgunder, or one of my favorites, the 2007 Weninger Blaufränkisch or the 2004 Wenzel Bandkraften Blaufränkisch

Netherlands v Denmark

Well, neither country is known as uber wine country, so I’ll let you decide. Who wins? What’s your recommended game day wine pick?