Wine With…Hamburgers

Wine With…Hamburgers 

by Paul Lukacs and Marguerite Thomas

Selection

Approx. Price

Comments

Beckman,

Santa Ynez Valley

(California)

“Cuvee le Bec”

2003

  $20

This medium-bodied Rhône-style blend (primarily Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah) has an appealing earthiness coupled with clear fruit flavors.  Because it isn’t heavy, it’s a good choice for al fresco dining on steamy summer evenings.

Grant Burge,

Barossa Valley

(Australia)

Shiraz

2003

(Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections)

 $17

Richly interlaced with fruit, this is a big, studly Aussie wine.  We found it especially good with juicy, rare burgers, and thought it noteworthy for the way it connected not just with the meat, but also with the ketchup, underscoring that condiment’s thick, spicy character.

Hogue Cellars,

Columbia Valley

(Washington)

Cabernet Sauvignon

2003

 $12 

 As is often the case with Cabs from Washington, this one has good acidity and structure, plus soft, grainy tannins that match up well with the ground meat.  It’s not especially complex but very flavorful.

Louis Jadot,

Moulin-a-Vent

(Beaujolais, France) Chateau des Jacques

2003

(Imported by Kobrand)

  $21

Most Beaujolais probably would too light for burgers, but this wine’s luscious berry-like fruit (particularly pronounced in the super-ripe 2003 vintage) worked perfectly.  The meat, mustard, tomato and other garnishes all tasted better with it.  In fact, the match was so seamless that we had trouble figuring out where the flavor of the wine ended and that of the dish began.

Sebastiani,

Sonoma County

(California)

Zinfandel

2001

  $15

A full-flavored wine, this straightforward Zin was especially notable for the way it picked up the char flavors of the meat. That’s why it would be a good choice if you were having a burger on its own–sans bun and other trappings (low-carb dieters take note).

These five wines showed especially well among the twelve different red wines we tried recently with hamburgers.  We cooked the burgers on our gas grill, and served them on toasted buns, with the traditional fixings–lettuce, tomato, a slice of cheese, ketchup and mustard.