Winning Wing–and–Wine Pairing Earns Natalie Harwood From Columbia, South Carolina Two Tickets to Sunday’s Big Game
MANTECA, Calif., Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On February 8, Natalie Harwood of Columbia, S.C. clinched the title of ultimate tailgate MVP after winning Bota Box’s 2025 “Wing It with Bota” national wine and wing pairing recipe contest held at Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate in the San Francisco Bay Area. Launched by Bota Box in Fall 2025, the contest redefines gameday pairings – proving how wine elevates America’s favorite gameday food, chicken wings, by enhancing bold, crave-worthy flavors.
Culinary icon Guy Fieri served as host of the “Wing It with Bota” live contest alongside a judge’s panel featuring Bay Area sports legend NaVorro Bowman, former four-time All-Pro NFL linebacker, and 10-year NFL veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks of the San Francisco 49ers. Judges tasted each finalist’s wing and wine pairing live on stage to determine which one showcased a game-changing combo with the perfect balance of bold, craveable flavors elevated by an expertly matched Bota Box wine.
Known for delivering award-winning wine quality and unmatched portability in its 3-liter and “Mini” 500-milliliter packaging, Bota Box invited home cooks nationwide to create America’s best original chicken wing recipe and Bota Box wine pairing for the chance to win two tickets to football’s biggest game. Grand Prize winner Natalie Harwood’s Black Cherry Smoke RedVolution wing recipe paired with Bota Box RedVolution was showcased during a mainstage finale at the Flavortown Tailgate ahead of Sunday’s Big Game kickoff.
Of the hundreds of game-day-ready wing recipes and wine pairings submitted across the U.S., Harwood was one of three finalists selected to compete in front of a panel of NFL-legend judges at the fourth annual Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate, where bold food and Big-Game energy came together for an epic pre-kickoff celebration. Harwood’s smoky, black cherry-glazed wing recipe and Bota Box RedVolution wine pairing was selected by the judges for its standout flavor, creative wine integration, and a perfect pairing that delivered depth and balance, earning Harwood an unforgettable grand prize: two tickets to Sunday’s Big Game and an escort from the competition straight to the stadium to watch the kickoff live.
“It was so exciting and an unexpected win,” said Harwood. “I love the sweet black cherry notes in Bota’s red wine, and I wanted to bring that same rich, bold flavor to game-day wings. This smoky cherry glaze has a sweet depth that beautifully complements Bota Box RedVolution. Finding out I won tickets to the Big Game left me completely speechless.”
“These wings were everything you want on game day—crispy, creative, and, most importantly, delicious with wine,” said Andrew Blok, Marketing Director for Bota Box. “The pairing highlighted just how easy it is to level up wings with a glass of Bota Box.”
Runner up wing and wing combinations included Backyard Garden Wings with Amy’s Lemon Zing Hot Sauce paired with Bota Box Sauvignon Blanc, created by Amy Smith of Los Angeles, Calif. and Spicy Sangria Sticky Wings paired with Bota Box Old Vine Zinfandel, by Justin Ward of San Antonio, Texas.
For more game day recipes and wing and wine pairing inspiration, visit botabox.com/football or follow @botabox on Instagram.
About Bota®
Bota Box is one of the most popular premium wine brands in the U.S. and is the U.S. category leader in premium 3-liter boxed wine1. Named 2020 “Wine Brand of the Year” by Market Watch magazine, the Bota Box portfolio includes Nighthawk® by Bota Box, which offers wines with a richer, bolder flavor profile, and Bota Box Breeze, America’s number one light wine brand. In addition to 3-liter bag-in-box cartons, select Bota Box wines are also packaged in 500-milliliter Tetra Paks. Produced at the Bota Box Certified Sustainable California winery, Bota’s ecologically friendly, portable, shatter-proof 3-liter cartons use state-of-the-art technology that keeps the wine fresh for up to 30 days once open. Delicato Family Wines launched Bota Box in 2003, taking inspiration from traditional Spanish wine skins known as “botas”. For more information, visit www.botabox.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
1) Source: Circana, Total MULO+C, 52 Weeks Ending 11/30/25
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