The age-old grilling debate: are you team charcoal or a gas grill pro? Around here, we don’t judge, we just care that something delicious is sizzling. And in Minnesota, that usually means one thing: burgers.

There’s something about a hot, juicy burger fresh off the grill on a perfect spring day. But let’s take it up a notch, because a great burger deserves a wine that can keep up.

If you enjoy your own version of the famous Juicy Lucy, a bacon burger, or classic California burger with mayo, tomato and lettuce, we have a few suggestions that might make your seared burger experience even better. So fire up some burgers and give one of these wines a try, they all go great with the grill.

Summer Grilling Recipes

Making a good burger is all about the meat, and the fat.

Too much fat, and it is too greasy. Too lean, and you end up with a dry burger. For beef, we recommend an 80/20, lean/fat mix. Happy Grilling!

CHILE-STUFFED cheeseburger

Ingredients:

• 4 chiles — 2 Anaheims and 2 jalapeños
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, unpeeled
• 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 4 kaiser rolls, split
• Lettuce leaves, sliced onion and tomato, mayonnaise and ketchup, for serving

Start the grill. Rub the chiles with olive oil. Thread the jalapeños and garlic onto a skewer and grill until charred all over. Using tongs, repeat with the Anaheims. Peel the chiles and discard the stems and seeds. Peel the garlic. Chop the chiles and garlic and transfer to a bowl. Fold in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Cut eight 6-inch squares of wax paper; divide the beef among them. Pat each portion into a 5-inch round, a little thicker in the center. Using a 1/4 cup measure, mound one-fourth of the cheese mixture in the centers of 4 patties. Top with the remaining patties; press the edges to seal. Flatten the centers so that the burgers are even. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the cut sides of the rolls with oil. Lightly oil the grate. Grill the burgers over a hot fire, turning once, about 7 minutes for medium to medium-rare meat. Toast the kaiser rolls. Place the burgers on the rolls and top with lettuce leaves, onion, and tomato. Serve with mayonnaise and ketchup.

Recommendation: 

Losacno Malbec

Raymond R Collection Chardonnay

Spiced Lamb Burger

Ingredients:

• 2½ pounds ground lamb, preferably shoulder
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• ¾ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 8 thick medium pita breads with pockets

Using a fork, mix lamb, onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup oil in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Prepare grill for medium heat and oil grate. Working one at a time, open each pita pocket by cutting along seam, halfway around perimeter. Spoon filling into pitas, spreading to edges. Close, pressing on filling to seal. Grill pitas until filling is cooked through and bread is crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Filling can be made 8 hours ahead; keep chilled. Pita breads can be stuffed 1 hour ahead; cover and chill.

Recommendation:

Fog Mountain Field Blend

I Veroni Vermentino

Turkey Burger with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds 90-percent lean, freshly ground turkey (not all white meat), chilled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices goat cheese, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 4 sesame seed hamburger buns, split and lightly grilled


Preheat the grill to high. Form the meat into four 6-ounce burgers. If you are not going to cook right away, keep the burgers cold in the refrigerator. Sprinkle the burgers on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. During the last minutes of cooking, add 2 slices of cheese to each burger, cover the grill, and let the cheese soften slightly, about 1 minute. Put the burgers on the buns, drizzle with some of the Meyer lemon-honey mustard and top with a few sprigs of watercress. Serve with extra mustard on the side.



Recommendation: 

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Charles Vienot 

Macon Lugny Patriarche

Whether you’re loyal to charcoal, swear by gas grilling, or simply looking for the perfect excuse to gather outside this spring, burgers and wine are a pairing worth celebrating. From bold Malbecs with spicy cheeseburgers to crisp whites alongside turkey or lamb, the right bottle can turn an everyday cookout into something memorable. Fire up the grill, pour a glass, and enjoy the flavors of the season with friends, family, and your favorite burger recipe.