Superdawg celebrates 65 years with wine tasting

Most people wouldn’t think to pair a hot dog with a cool, crisp rosé or dark syrah, but it’s those unique pairings that will bring in donations to cancer research July 27 when the Superdawg Drive-In in Wheeling hosts a Lynfred Winery tasting.

In celebration of its 65th anniversary, Superdawg will give out tastes of wine to raise money for Lymphoma Research Association.

Superdawg and Lynfred will host afternoon and evening fundraisers at Superdawg, 333 S. Milwaukee Ave. The first tasting is from 11 a.m.-2 p.n, and the evening one is 5-8 p.m.

Weather pending, the tasting will be outside at the restaurant’s 200-seat picnic area. There is no purchase necessary to taste the wines, only a monetary donation.

Patrons who donate $1 to cancer research will receive 3-ounce servings of three different wines from Lynfred Winery, which has a Wheeling location north of Superdawg on Milwaukee Avenue.

“We have selected our house Vin de City white and red and our rosé,” said the winery’s store manager Matt Phillip.

“The white is similar to a pinot grigio and the red is a blend of syrah, cabernet and merlot,” he said.

Representatives from Lynfred will give visitors information about their wines, including which wines pair best with the restaurant’s menu favorites like the signature Superdawg or Whoopercheesie burger.

“I laugh a little just thinking about it, but I think there are certain wines that go with smoked meat, which is what our hot dog is,” said Scott Berman, whose parents Maurie and Flaurie Berman founded the hot dog restaurants in 1948. The second location in Wheeling opened in 2010.

The wine tasting is on a list of special events by Superdawg Drive-In to celebrate its 65th anniversary. The original Superdawg in Chicago was started as a summer business to pay for the founders’ college tuition, but after achieving degrees from Northwestern they decided to turn the carhop-assisted stand into a year-round business.

Superdawg Drive-In is run as a family effort, with Scott Berman’s wife, daughter, sister and brother-in-law pitching in to keep the tradition going.