I am so hungry I could eat a horse!
Whoa there! We get it -especially around the time of the Minnesota State Fair when there is every sort of bucket and bag and thing-on-a-stick. Food pairing on the fair grounds is often limited to whatever is nearby and cold but if we had it our way, most fried foods would wind up with champagne, while sweeter foods would sing with off-dry whites or chilled tawny ports. What though for all the other MN State Fare?

Minnesota is not only the land of sky-blue waters, but also home to some notable and delectably distinct traditional foods. In addition to your cooler full of Hamm’s beer and pop (that’s soda to some of you), here are a few wine pairing ideas to get your potlucks rolling.

• Tater Tot Hotdish hollers for Chardonnay
• Booyah beckons for Gamay
• Cheese curds call for Carignan
• Jucy Lucies jam with Zinfandel
• Lefse likes Chenin Blanc
• Krumkake calls for Riesling
• Wild Rice wants Pinot Noir
• Bundt Cake beckons for the Demi-Secs
• Venison fancies Nebbiolo
• Jello Salad jams with Moscato
• Walleye wants crisp whites
• Spam sure likes Pinot Blanc
• Lutefisk loves Pouilly Fumé & Grüner Veltliner
• Bars are ballin’ with fortified wine
• Hmong Food marries well with fragrant, off dry whites
• Fresh pheasant favors aged Pinot Noir
• Our favorite: potato chips charm with Champagne -which also goes well with anything-on-a-stick for you MN State Fair goers!