Wine Pairings for Any Burger

side view of a hamburger in a bistro, a glass of red beside it

Make the most of your burger with these terrific pairings.

By Erin Henderson 

Do you remember the movie Sideways?

The 2004 drama-rom-com staring Paul Giamatti as Miles, a bitter, lonely, wine snob who takes a trip to California wine country with his hapless, playboy bestie?

That movie dealt a blow to Merlot that the poor grape is still trying to overcome 20 years later. But that’s not the point of this post.

In one of the final scenes in the movie, Miles, clad in a tux, sits alone in a roadside burger shack, downing a 1961 Cheval Blanc (roughly priced at $5,600 CDN in today’s dollars) from a paper bag with his cheeseburger.   

Cheval Blanc, maybe somewhat confusingly, is a red wine from Bordeaux. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, which would indeed be terrific with a cheeseburger.

Now, don’t start panicking that in order to have a sublime burger and wine pairing, you must dig into your children’s education accounts (although, if there ever was such an occasion…)

When pairing with a burger, as always, it comes down to flavouring, fat content, and even the cooking method. Ergo, a Cheval Blanc, no matter how illustrious, is not necessarily the answer for each and every burger.

But, there is a wine that will do.

You may also like: Food and Wine Pairing 101

top view of several burgers on boards
Classic, All-American

Loaded with all the sauces – ketchup, mustard, “secret,” and topped with everything from pickles to onions to lettuce, this is a buffet between a bun.

Typically beef burgers have about a 20% fat ratio, making them rich and delicious, so I recommend a red wine with a bit of heft, but enough upfront fruit to also offer lift to the decadence of the meal.

I would make like Miles and go with a Cabernet Franc. Ontario has fantastic options, as does Loire in France, Oregon, and New Zealand.

Because Cab Franc leans to the savoury side, the chaos of all the vegetable and pickled toppings are taken care of, while the juicy, dark berry fruit of the wine compliments the beef patty. Not to mention the fat of the burger will smooth out any tannic grip in the wine.

Cheddar Cheeseburger

Cheese adds more salt and fat to an already rich patty, so I’m inclined to reach for levity in a wine pairing, rather than pile on the heavy. A good quality Lambrusco – a sparkling red wine from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region made with grapes of the same name – is a terrific option. Dry (there are some that are sweet, but you want dry for this), and loaded with enticing flavours of dark, brambleberry fruit, mulling spices, and black peppercorn, there’s a lip-smacking acidity and energy to Lambrusco to mop up all the extra decadence of the burger.

Bacon Burger 

Bacon, whether on top of the burger, or in it, acts like cheese, bringing even more weight to the party. Salty and smoky, with another layer of protein, I would pair an equally smoky, full bodied Syrah, which has flavours of black pepper and bacon fat to completely compliment the burger.

Turkey Burger

Regardless of whether your turkey burger is made of lean, white meat, or decadent, dark meat, Gamay is the go-to for me for turkey. The main grape of Beaujolais, Gamay is light and lean, with red cranberry and wild strawberry fruit, subtle tannins, and bright acid. Gamay does double time, its acid cutting through the rich dark meat, while its fruit boosts the neutral white meat.

You may also like: All About Gamay

Salmon Burger

Salmon has a lot of fat. It’s good-for-you fat, but it’s fat, nonetheless. Therefore, we can’t wimp out on a wine that doesn’t have the same voluptuous body. Chardonnay may be the obvious call, but it’s an obvious one for a reason: it’s got the buttery, creamy texture that makes an excellent dance partner for the fish. Go for a Chard from a cooler climate like Ontario, New York’s Finger Lakes, or northern Italy, which typically boasts brighter acidity and less oak than many warm climate regions.

Black Bean Burger

I really like how rich rosé pairs with black beans. Wines with some girth, like those of Tavel, which are so pink they’re nearly pale red; we don’t want baby pink, wispy wines for this pairing. The bold flavours of Tavel and similarly styled rosés, offer ripe raspberry, white cherry, and watermelon which enliven the earthy, starchy black beans, and the wine’s medium body can stand up to the density of the burger. Since the burger doesn’t have any fatty animal protein, we don’t need to worry about a wine with tannin, but the acidity of the rosé brings a zippy energy. It’s a delightful pairing.

Your next read: The Four Ways to Make Rosé

Hear From Real People!

You were such an awesome host and I appreciate all of the work you put into it. Thank you so much again!
Thank you very much for your services. Everyone had a fantastic time and loved everything! Thank you again for a successful event and making me look oh so good.
I had the pleasure of attending the Oceania Cruise event where you conducted a wine pairing. I have to say that your wine and food pairing made a typically ho hum travel information night, spectacular! I have never done a wine pairing. I was amazed at how food interacted with the wines.
Wow, Emily was absolutely fantastic! She was patient, explained the wines well, and was a delight to work with.

Thank you so much for everything I will definitely use your services again.
 
The unique programs and the tour we did with you was a huge success. Guests really enjoyed the afternoon!
The Wine Sisters are professional and flexible to attend to client needs. They’re able to provide 'one stop shop for events.
Bravo! You were awesome and I loved the presentation, explanation and selection of wines! I just had to reach out and thank you for a wonderful evening. You two are fabulous – great energy and you really like what you do.  You make tasting wine fun!
Everybody had a ton of fun and we very much see this structure as a template we can use with clients and friends in the future.
I wanted to thank you SO much for your tutored wine tasting! It was so much fun. You were both informative and hilarious! Each person said they would definitely recommend you to anyone looking to do a wine tasting!
I’m really pleased with how the event went. Everyone feels really happy with your incredible hosting skills and experience. We all DEFINITELY want to use The Wine Sisters again! Thank you so much!!

Instagram Feed

Follow on Instagram

For support issues or any questions, please email us at drinkwithus@thewinesisters.com

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to be the first to know about our wine recommendations, cocktail recipes, and great tips for throwing fabulous parties.