Football season is finally upon us and the weather is about to change.  From Thursday night football, to tailgating, to Monday night football, wine can be your beverage of choice.  Choosing which beer to enjoy will be a reasonably easy decision—unless it is a craft beer—where nuances can drive your palate into countless different directions.  This time I will guide you on a typical week of wine and football.

Thursday night:  Usually the start of the week for NFL football and still a work day for many.  If your team is playing, or not, and you want to stay awake until the end of the game, spend a little more on the bottle of wine.  Go for something that can be enjoyed on its own over a three hour period and gets better as time progresses.  This way, even if your team, or the game, does not get better, the wine will.  My first choice would be an Amarone.  This is a type of wine from the Valpollicella region in Italy and is usually no less than $50 per bottle.  I have never met an Amarone that I did not like, but my preference is the single vineyard Ambrosan by Nicolis.  If you are hesitant to spend $50 on a bottle of wine that you have never tried before, pick up a Ripasso Valpollicella.  This will give you a taste of the Amarone because it is re-fermented on the remnants of the Amarone and is usually between $20 and $25 per bottle.

Saturday:  Saturday afternoon is loaded with college football games and they run all day and into the evening.  Keeping your palate from burning out can be done by enjoying light bodied white wines when the season starts and turning to dry rose or light bodied red as the season progresses.  New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Kabinett German Riesling are great wines to start with.  Sauvignon Blanc brings more citrus notes, while Riesling brings tree fruit and tropical fruit notes.  The Riesling should be considered when chips and tomato based salsa are lurking near bye—the spicier the better—and Sauvignon Blanc when a creamy or bean dip is around.

Sunday:  Sunday funday!  Tailgating begins with bubbles—mimosas, or bellinis!  These starters pair flawlessly with ANY appetizer or finger food you chose to warm your palate up with.  Not to be outweighed by the grilled pork chops, the grilled marinated chicken breast, the chicken wings, or the oil-less fried whole turkey, increasing the weight of the wine would be ideal.  Grape varietals such as Zinfandel (Pimitivo in Italy), Grenache, Malbec, and Petite Shiraz will usually add a little pepperiness and richness to the mix and can be friendly with or without food.

Monday:  Are you ready for some football?!?!  It is time for the heavy hitters and the 2-inch-thick bone-in ribeye!  Invite your buddies over and have a big meal with full California Cabernet Sauvignons, Washington State Cabernet Franc or Shiraz, Italian Barolo or Brunello, or French Paulliac or Margaux (both Cabernet Sauvignon)!  Just like the Monday night game, the heartier the meal, the bigger the wine and the better the time.

Scott Carter, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine consultant in Sunrise. Follow me on Twitter @ABCwineScottC.