by Jerry Kolins, MD, DipWSET, Certified Sommelier
November 17, 2024
This year the Big Ten Championship Game, played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, will probably feature the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks. Such a celebration requires different wines for the competing teams and the members of the Big Ten Conference. Here are my recommendations for Ohio State, Oregon, and selected conference members.
For the Ohio State Buckeyes, a scarlet wine of high caliber, earthy with hints of truffles, would pair beautifully with their magnificent down-to-earth running game. When a wine connoisseur thinks full body, like the OSU front line, one needs to consider the qualities of the Nebbiolo grape. We go to Piedmont, Italy, at the foot of the Italian Alps, to enjoy a Gaja Barbaresco DOCG wine made with 100% Nebbiolo.
Almost any vintage would be spectacular but if the plan is to celebrate a Big Ten ring then the 1997 vintage of Gaja Barbaresco should be sought for about $350 per bottle. However, if you obtain any Barbaresco or Barolo with 10 years of aging or more the scarlet color is pronounced with whisper of a grey rim. The aroma of red cherry, plum, florals of rose, and developing aromas of leather, truffles, and tobacco are unmistakable. If you are working with a budget go with 2018 Fontanafredda Barolo DOCG for about $70. It is worth it if you get the ring. And the scarlet color will match the helmets.
Oregon is a little more challenging and one must be gentle and at the same time tough with Oregon. This is a school in search of an identity. After all, until Oregon started winning football games, most of us didn’t know they have a university. We do know they haven’t agreed on their school colors yet. Michigan’s Maize and Blue, and Ohio State’s Scarlet and Grey are steadfast. Oregon Ducks’ green and yellow make for ugly uniforms. They know this. That is why they change their school colors every Saturday as evidenced by their weekly uniform changes. In their victory over Michigan this year, Oregon wore all white uniforms symbolizing all the colors in the rainbow until they figure out which ones are theirs.
It is tough to pick a wine for the Ducks. In 1893 the University of Oregon adopted lemon yellow as their school color to honor the official Oregon flower, the wild grape. The berries are not for wine and are very sour. However, Willamette Valley makes superb Pinot Noir, e.g., Cristom ‘Mt. Jefferson Cuvée’ 2022 at $45 from Eola-Amity Hills or Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir 2021 from Dundee Hills at about $55. Perhaps the best recommendation for Oregon’s celebration is to taste a sparkling wine and spit it out. Oregon is good at that. Just ask any Buckeye.1
We need to address the scholastic champions of the conference, i.e., Michigan and Northwestern.
These two Big Ten Schools, unlike the others, find themselves in the top 25 of the best universities in the world on a regular basis.
These universities know their mission and excel like Stanford did when there was a Pacific Conference.
Such schools should celebrate annually because they are eternal winners in the classroom, and in business.
The choice of Champagne would be Salon S Le Mesnil Blanc de Blanc Brut 2002.
It is $1200 per bottle.
Michigan and Northwestern can handle that.
Go Blue.
1 *During the October 12, 2024 football game in Eugene, Oregon’s wide receiver was ejected from the game for spitting on an Ohio State player. The camera caught the Buckeye wiping spit from his face with a towel.