March Madness is upon us. The time of year when brackets blanket our desks and a teams uniform color takes on a whole new meaning. We have far too many brackets to track over the next couple weeks; and to add to the madness, I’ve decided to pick a game of the day and offer a wine pairing for the game.

Why a wine pairing? Being from Indiana, where basketball is worshipped, I don’t always understand why every single person isn’t glued to a television screen. However, I will accept that some people would rather sip wine in the background while their significant other is yelling obscene things at a television screen.  And I believe that those who’d rather not watch should have something to look forward to during March Madness as well. Being a huge basketball and wine fan, I’m here to tell you that wine is just as good as a beer or cocktail during your favorite teams game.

Tonight’s Feature Game and Pairing:

Western Kentucky v. Mississippi Valley State University – 6:40 PM ET (-4.5 pts WK)

Western Kentucky, with a losing record and two different coaches in the past 3 month, is favored by 4.5 points. Let’s pull for the underdog – MVSU. They are not getting any respect for their winning record or for winning their conference tournament. The real reason Western Kentucky is favored is because they knocked out my alma mater, University of Denver, for their first chance to reach the big dance. But I have faith that the Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils will have a strong showing tonight.

With the Delta Devils game, one must drink something to match -

The Charles Smith “The Velvet Devil” Merlot – only $12. It’s a great value wine.