sporty grape

playoff wine bets – not this year?

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One of my favorite things is the bets that the political reps of the cities/states whose teams are in the playoffs make. Many of them involve wine, which then makes me even happier. This year, however, I’m very disappointed.

cheerwineHere’s the bet between the Panthers (via North Carolina’s Congressman Richard Hudson) and the 49ers (via House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi): If the 49ers win, Hudson will give Pelosi Bojangles chicken, Lance crackers, and Cheerwine. If the Panthers win, Pelosi will give Hudson San Francisco sourdough bread from Boudin Bakery and chocolate from Ghirardelli and TCHO.

Oh my god. First of all, let’s clear one thing up right away: Cheerwine is not actual wine, it’s a wild cherry soda made in Salisbury, NC. I don’t have a problem with that since really what kind of North Carolina wine are you going to give someone anyway? According to the NC Wine website, there are more than 100 wineries in the state, and they were the first to plant the native muscadine grape, aka Scuppernong, which makes a sweet wine. Never had it. Never had any wine from NC in fact, but kudos.
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Secondly, the fact that the 49ers, with their proximity to the largest wine-producing region in the country, isn’t including wine in their bet is shameful! On top of that, Pelosi actually owns two vineyards in Napa! She doesn’t make her own wine, just sells her grapes from these vineyards to California winemakers. You’d think she’d pull some strings (or vines?) and add these wines to the bet.
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The mayors of the two cities didn’t include wine in their bet either: San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Mayor Patrick Cannon from Charlotte, N.C., agreed to wear the colors from the winning team during mentoring activities with youth at the upcoming U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., from Jan. 22-24 (very nice). The food portion of the bet involved either BBQ pulled pork from Charlotte or Boudin sourdough and Ghirardelli chocolate from San Francisco. Still no wine! San Francisco, this is why I’m not rooting for you (I wasn’t rooting for you anyway so no biggie haha).

As for Broncos vs Chargers, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock bet Mile High City’s best green chili if the Chargers win. And if the Broncos win, San Diego’s interim mayor Todd Gloria will deliver burritos from Ortiz’s Taco Shop, carne asada fries from Lolita’s Taco Shop, and deep-fried catfish tacos from Mama Testa Taqueria. No wine, but holy YUM.

Abita Amber beerPike Place Pale AleAnd Saints vs Seahawks? New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu will send king cake and seafood to Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, who’ll send Top Pot donuts and Pike Place Market salmon. However, Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu is betting charbroiled oysters and Abita Amber beer, and WA Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray bet Pike Place Pale Ale and oysters from Taylor Shellfish Farms. “Our seafood and craft brewing industries are second-to-none,” Cantwell said. Um, you also make good wine in Washington state – oh, the dis!

I can’t find anything about bets between Indy and Boston. (Last week, Kansas City sent BBQ after they lost to Indy, whose Mayor Ballard said he would’ve sent St. Elmo’s World Famous Shrimp Cocktail and a dozen Flying Cupcake signature Red Velvet Elvis cupcakes.) Let me know if you hear anything.

Future playoff bets better get grapey, because these were a big fail.

5 thoughts on “playoff wine bets – not this year?”

  1. For the 2011 Giants-Patriots Superbowl, the owners of Harpoon Brewery in Boston and Brooklyn Brewery in NYC agreed that the brewery in the losing city will have to serve the beer from the other city in their brewery. Sadly, that made Brooklyn beer available at Harpoon,… Sigh….

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  3. My wife is from Charlotte and everytime we go there, we have to get Cheerwine. I don’t know if I am remembering this correctly, but I think they put pineapple juice in it as well.

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