Burger wines

My wife might have some of her friends over this w/e for the Cowboys game and I was thinking of just doing some simple traditional burgers on the BGE.

So, what wines would you suggest? Or, perhaps more importantly, what would you avoid?

I’ll start with the second question and say I won’t be serving any Burgundy with the burgers.

(FWIW, these are wine curious, but not wine centric people so I’m not opening my 07 Saxum JBV or aged BDX with them.)

Curious to see the thoughts here.

Chris

Zin

A big California Syrah sounds like a perfect choice . . .

+1

I’m thinking maybe Rudius Grenache (06) and/or Carlisle Sonoma Zin (06).

The Italian suggestion has me thinking, though.

Chris

if they’re wine curious I’d open a selection of interesting, inexpensive things. There’s a Corbieres that I like a lot for $12 (I’ll look up the name later), a grower Beaujoulais could be cool, so could a Barbera or a Langhe Nebbiolo. I like inexpsensive Syrah from CA too, things like the Cline and Zin or Zin blends (Ridge, etc).

Marietta Old Vines Red. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a Zin based blend that is always a crowd-pleaser when we serve it do “new” wine drinkers and it works very well with burgers. Oh, and it’s ~$12.00 per bottle!
David

Zin and Syrah are the sentimental US favorites, but a good burger certainly goes well with a nice Napa Cab.

My burger outlier is Cab Franc. Especially ripe CA Cab Franc.

A juicy Minervois or Rousillon are great bargain picks.

Get your hands on the $20 Carlise Zin, Tercero Cuvee Christie, one of the Novy-Siduri under $25 wines.

+2

= 3!!!

Barbera, village or premier cru beaujolais, Grenache/blends, champagne/cava, pinotage. I tend to believe above-average acidity wines can go with almost any food. Even a flinty sauv blanc or dry gewurz can work.

Zin is the easy choice, but since these are wine curious people, do something different.

a 20ish bottle of Bordeaux works.

Zinfandel or some of that 2007 Saxum I know you are holding.

Big House Red . . . always a winner.

My burger wine is 2004 or 2005 Mondavi Cab Oakville. Works every time. When I run out of that I go for Provenance 04 Cab. $25 range.

The current potential attendees don’t measure up to Saxum in their appreciation. Gotta save that for when we get together.

I might do a little mix and match blinding of wines for everyone.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Chris

That’s what we like to do. Or a Bordeaux blend from Calif or Washington.

If you are anywhere where it is warm (it’s 75 here today ), Lambrusco and / or Ripasso Valpo will keep the ladies VERY happy.

If you need something heartier and warming, Português reds from Douro, Dão or Estremadura, Spanish Garnacha or some of the bigger Primitivo di Manduria wines will be well appreciated.

California Savignon Blanc or a Cote de Roussillon White.