9 Big, Bold Red Wines to Pair With Your Burger This Summer
Something magical happens when the grill is lit and the first scent of dripping beef fat meeting fire arrives at your olfactory bulb. Your limbic system jumps into action and all you can think about is devouring something rich, red, and juicy. As your insular cortex comes into play and a lifetime of flavors are recalled, the hippocampus kicks into high gear and decides to double down on the menu items: The well-marbled burger that is currently being seared will be accompanied an equally juicy and incredible bottle of red wine.
Juicy hamburgers and big, bold reds are a natural pairing thanks to the chemical reactions that occur on your palate when you enjoy fatty meat and high-tannin wines in tandem. Tannins, the compounds in wine coming from grape seeds and skins and oak barrels, offer a drying or astringent effect in the mouth, while ground beef’s natural levels of protein and fat cause a wet feeling on the palate. Just as your brain predicted, the dry and wet characteristics produce an agreeable sensation. Agreeable? Make that awesome! On top of that, the burger’s fat molecules make the tannins more elastic, producing softer, smoother sensations, while the wine’s tannins calm down the fat and draw more flavor out of the meat. Even if you used a cast iron skillet on an induction burner, you are seriously cooking with fire at this point.
If you like your burgers on the simple side, either plain or with a slice of Swiss or Gruyere, try a wine from the lower end of the tannin scale such as Pinot Noir. Once you start loading on richer flavors and more fat—bacon, double cheese, and caramelized onions come to mind—you will want to power up the tannins with either a well-oaked Cabernet Sauvignon or plush red blend. With great choices from Napa, Sonoma, Oregon, Chile, and the Rhône Valley, we’ve rounded up some reds that will light up your palate the next time burgers are on the menu.
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