Chantelle Pabros, a sommelier at Chicago's L20, is widely considered a rising star of the wine universe. Entrenched among oenophiles since leaving high school, at a mere 26 she has worked alongside world-renowned talent including chef Laurent Gras at his seafood-centric eatery. Though Chantelle has few hard and fast rules about pairing wine with food, she offered a couple tips as we head into prime grilling season. We caught up with her this afternoon to talk burgers and vino. Do you think burgers and wine go together?
Yes, absolutely. Though we don't have burgers [at L20], I like pairing wine with them. There is this place here called Kuma's Corner. We normally drink beer there, but I am thinking about the possibilities of wines with their burgers.
How does one go about pairing the two?
With pairing, things that you think would go well don't always go. It's trial and error. I start by thinking about the classic burger, cooked medium rare with really fresh lettuce, tomato, onion and a really intense mustard.
Chantelle's five under-$25 burger-friendly wines after the jump.
What flavor in that classic burger are you trying to pair when considering a wine?
You want something that is a red with a slight chill on it -- fresh and with slight tannin.
What do you think about wines with grilled meat?
If the food is hot you definitely want something that has structure to it. If you are cooking at night, a dense luscious red; if it's day, a rosé or a beer. You want something that is approachable and for the moment.
No hard and fast rules?
Well, if you are drinking reds during the daytime, you are going to want to take a siesta afterward. (Laughs.) I [prefer] things that are lighter in the daytime. Something that is lighter in alcohol. Something that is cold. Something that is fresh. In the evening, pull out a decadent red, one that is fuller in flavor.
How do you approach pairing wines?
We taste red, white and rosé with all dishes. We try to experiment as much as possible so when someone doesn't like a certain style of wine, we can recommend something else.
Is there any wine you would consider a bad move for pairing with a burger?
Sweet wine. I don't know if I would go there ... I would try it, and if it doesn't work, move on and never do it again.
Below, Chantelle's five picks under $25 -- in descending order from a heavier red to a lighter rosé -- to pair with burgers this summer.
2007 Corbieres, Les Deux Rives, Val d'Orbieu, France
2004 Finca Coronado, Vino de la Tierra, Spain
2006 Clos de los Siete (Malbec blend), Argentina
2007 Pinot Noir, Wild Rock, Central Otago, New Zealand
2006 Grenache Rosé, Chateau d'Esclans, Cotes du Provence, France
5-15-2009 @5:26PM Nickster said... Burgers are an American staple so you need an American wine! If you want to pay a little more I'd recommend a good American Zinfandel (the red kind). Seghesio at ~$22 is awesome (and you don't have to try to find the 2007 Wine Spectator noted vintage).
For a more value wine I would highly recommend Fess Parker's Frontier Red at ~$12.
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5-15-2009 @7:57PM BSR said... I'll second the zin recommendation. I'm having burgers tonight, and will be enjoying "The Zin" from Cosentino ($20) with it. It's bold enough that it won't be overwhelmed by beef, mustard and onions, and the concentrated fruit flavors provide a nice counterpoint to the meat.
Another I've enjoyed with a burger recently is a red blend: The Climber -- about $15 from Clif Family Winery -- the same people who make Clif Bars (yes, the energy bars!) It's a nice mellow red that goes with lots of things.
Enough reading -- I'm getting hungry, and my grill is ready!
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