Art of the tailgate, Southern style
Down South, tailgating isn’t just a pre-game routine, it’s practically a sacred fall ritual. But hosting a game-day gathering or cool-weather porch party doesn't mean you're stuck with plain drinks and flimsy paper plates. With a little Southern ingenuity, you can host an autumn gathering that feels effortless, deeply welcoming, and undeniably fun.
Whether you’re parked outside the stadium or gathered around the fire pit, here is your guide to tailgate season touchdowns, complete with essential tips, sweet Duplin wine pairings, and a few surprise plays.
Surprise-action opener
Set the tone with a crisp, pre-game kick-off welcome drink that feels like fall in a glass. Fizzy Duplin Apple poured over ice in casual, heavy-bottomed stemless glasses or tumblers adds a casual touch of class. Freeze fresh apple slices and cinnamon sticks ahead of time to use as flavor-boosting ice cubes! They keep the wine ice-cold without watering it down and add an extra pop of autumn spice as you sip.
Bench the ordinary charcuterie
Swap single-use plastic and paper for wooden boards or enamelware trays mounded with Southern-style charcuterie. Hoop cheese, spicy pimento cheese, candied pecans, pickled okra, fried chicken nuggets, cocktail smokies, Cracker Jacks, and mini corn muffins call for dry to mid-sweet wines. Soft-dry Duplin True Harvest serves a smooth, rich profile that cuts right through sharp cheeses and smoky cured meats. Mid-sweet Midnight Magnolia enhances sweet or spicy flavors.
Free agency game
Win the games before the game with "Yard Pong" instead of corn hole. Use clean 5-gallon buckets and soft mini footballs. Keep everyone talking with an ongoing game of Out of Bounds Bingo. Hand out printed Bingo sheets with quirky squares like "Someone stops on pimento cheese," "Grill catches fire," "Truck horn goes off by accident," or "First burnt brisket spotted." Offer a small prize (like a fun tailgate koozie) for the first winner!
Keep it fun, sweet and smoky
Southerners are experts at slow-cooked, finger-licking, fire-kissed meats. And they love to pull out a surprise that makes folks laugh and start talking. Think charred beef brisket sliders, slow-roasted pulled pork, or sticky glazed pork belly. Get the pre-game banter going with Duplin Liquid Sin. Fortified with a touch of fine brandy and bursting with candied berry and rich dried fruit notes, this red wine’s 18% ABV kick doesn't hinder a smooth finish that stands up brilliantly to intensely smoky, sweet-and-spicy barbecue.
Easiest mulled wine ever
Keep your guests cozy on chilly fall nights with a self-serve mulled wine station on the tailgate or at home around the fire pit. Plug a slow cooker into your tailgate generator or keep a large, insulated thermos at the ready on the porch. Fill either with a warm batch of the easiest Duplin Pum’kin mulled wine. All you have to do is gently heat the wine with a couple spoonfuls of Duplin Mulling Spices for steaming mugs of pure Southern comfort when the evening air turns crisp. Add a nip of apple whiskey to bump with the cozy.
Keep it cozy
Southerners know hospitality, and how much little comforts matter. Roll up inexpensive plaid fleece blankets in team or fall colors and set them in a woven wicker basket next to a basket of hand warmers with a little sign that says "Take One If You Get the Shivers."
Simple sweets
Dessert can be messy on a tailgate fold-out table. And cookies or brownies can be kind of boring. Instead, serve individual dessert mason jars packed with layers of pecan pie. Just scoop pie into the jar, layered with whipped cream or store-bought cream cheese frosting, and then pop a lid on it. Serve with Duplin Black River Red or pour Duplin American Port into mugs of hot coffee.
