LSU-purple in color, Ridge Vineyards Three Valleys Zinfandel kicks off with aromas of white flowers and enough white pepper and Asian spice undertones to carry through to the end zone. Three Valleys, honored as one of Fortune magazine’s “Ten Best Red Wines for Winter,” is a complex and creative new-world blend of zin, petite sirah, carignan and grenache with more than enough heat inside at 14.5% AVC (alcohol by volume) to handle the chill outside. Plush, polished and particularly generous when it comes to value, this versatile food-friendly big red is jammed with a seamless array of wild blueberry aromas and red berry flavors framed with notes of licorice-laced vanilla. You need this big bold red to tailgate and pair with your game-day date.

Test drive Ridge Vineyards Three Valleys Zinfandel at J. Alexander’s Restaurant, where it pairs perfectly with the Barbecue Baby Back Ribs. Or buy a bottle at Martin’s Wine Cellar, available at both locations for $30, and grill hamburgers for a perfect pairing on campus and off.