I feel like a deja vu moment is coming on. Didn't I write this blog last year, and the year before...and the year before that. What's that old adage - as much as things change they stay exactly the same.
And so it goes with Super Bowl Sunday. Recession or not - Super Bowl 2009 is expected to be up there with 2008 as 43 million households tune in to not only the largest sporting event of the year - but the one with the best commercials.
And, as Nielsen reported, that judging from last year's viewers, 37 million viewers will be women. They are also reporting that amongst the football watching constituency, wine consumption is growing faster than the American population as a whole (now if that's not a startling trend I don't know what is).
So then why all the beer commercials focused on marketing to men? If trends are to be followed, then the fact that album sales rise for the performers who are featured at half-time, wouldn't you think that a commercial targeting women about the sexiness of drinking it would make each of us say - Pass me a Bud?
This year the gross revenue anticipated from Super Bowl ads will be around $1 billion (for just 350 seconds of air time) to an estimated 100 million people. More than twice as many as watched the inauguration.
All this confusion over not knowing who they are REALLY talking to gives me some satisfaction - having banked the future of Women & Wine http://womenwine.com on a revenue stream that will come from companies interested in reaching savvy women who love wine, food and travel both online and offline.
Someone should tell the beer companies that they might want to call W&W to help with their campaigns - after all, they probably think that we're just a fickle group. Could they throw enough money at women wine drinkers which would make them switch to beer?
Let's see what happens next year - because at least for the 2009 Super Bowl they're obviously content just to spend their advertising wad on the shrinking audience of football fans who are beer lovers.
And the rest of us - we can just continue to quietly drink our wine.
Here's what we're recommending at Wine Valet this week to go with this recipe. Enjoy!
Our Wine Picks To Go With The Recipe Below
2004 Lorca Poetico Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina $29/btl. 85% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Syrah, with a touch of second use French oak.1000 cases
2006 Beau Vigne Juliet Napa made by Dave Phinney (The Prisoner)RP 93 - 76% Cab, 21% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cab Franc $60 - Black Fruits, Cherry, Cocoa Tobacco Leaf 771 cases
2005 Pierce Cabernet Sauvignon - $20/btl. Southern Monterey County, Blackberry, dried cherry, hints of vanilla and crushed raspberry 195 cases.
2004 Blacksmith Cellars Adamantine Alexander Valley $39 - 50 cs. 91% Cabernet Franc; 5% Cabernet Sauvignon; 3% Merlot; 1% Petite Verdot
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Korean Style Barbecued Short ribs (Kalbi)
Dense fruity wines always lend a wonderful dynamic to Asian style barbecued meats. This recipe for Korean style of barbecued beef short ribs known as kalbi was sent to us by Randy Caproso a wine and food writer who writes for the Denver Post.
In Hawaii, where he grew up, no self-respecting hibachi homeboy or local take-out joint can 'make it' without mastering the art of Korean barbecue. The good news is that its not that difficult, it can be done anywhere, and the fact that this toothsome cut of beef, in moderately sweetened, garlic and sesame seasoned, soy sauce based marinades, tastes absolutely delicious with a lusciously spiced Shiraz.
Everyone in the Islands has his/her own variation (or secrets) of kalbi, but here is a good, basic recipe to start with:
3 lbs. English cut (thick) beef short ribs, scored
Marinade:
cup soy sauce
cup sesame oil
cup sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
tsp. salt
tsp. black pepper
3 stalks green onions, minced
2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Combine marinade ingredients and pour over short ribs in zip-lock plastic bag (or in shallow Pyrex sealed with plastic wrap); marinate overnight in refrigerator. Broil (or grill) 8-10 minutes on each side until desired doneness.
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