What Ohio wine pairs best with Wolverine meat? We have the answer!

The Ohio State-Michigan football rivalry has been a wee bit lopsided in recent years — thank you, Urban Meyer, and thank YOU as well, Jim Harbaugh — so since this Buckeye fan and OSU alum has a keen interest in food and wine as well as football, that leads us to one and only one question as the two teams prepare to battle on Saturday:

What kind of Ohio wine goes with Wolverine meat?

We knew JUST the right person to ask: Todd Steiner.

Now, Todd has the longest title in recorded history. He is Enology Program Manager & Outreach Specialist for the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Told ya.

RELATED: 5 things to love about the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, even if you don’t like sports

But all you need to know is that he’s a Buckeye through and through, and no one on God’s Green Earth knows more about Ohio wines and Ohio’s vineyards than he does.

So, with our tongue planted firmly in our, well, you know, we asked Todd … what Ohio wines pair best with Wolverine meat? And here was his reply:

“First, I am not sure anyone would even choose to eat wolverine due to it being especially ‘gamy,’ oily, and, I would imagine, a bit ‘Smelly.’ This may be in line with associating it with either groundhog and more likely opossum.

“In light of the above, I would suggest the following potential varieties:

"1. Ohio Noiret: Intense black pepper, spice and gamy attributes in both aroma and taste to match the intense wild aromas and strong flavors of the wolverine.

"2. Syrah: Some blueberry and gamy notes with a hint of bacon fat in both aroma and flavor to help match the above-mentioned wolverine descriptors."

And if the wines don't quite work, Todd suggested "a strong cocktail, preferably containing whiskey or bourbon, to immediately chase and overpower what you just ate."

Armed with this insight, you are now ready to enjoy The Game.

Go Bucks!

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