Sylvia Sterling – Grilled Burgers and Zinfandel (Ironstone Reserve, 2012)

My friend Maxine was moving into a quaint colonial in Western MA with her fiancé Alex. I hated helping people move and avoided it when possible. I thought of a way out of it and offered to make her and her hardworking friends dinner instead. Their kitchen would not be ready for weeks so I decided to barbecue burgers on the grill. I would use paper plates and bring my own glasses so they wouldn’t have to worry about clean-up.

“This was a fabulous idea Sylvia. Alex and I are more grateful than you know. I’ve moved many times and that usually means pizza and beer; I much prefer burgers and wine. Speaking of wine; what’s you plan?”

“Big and bold are what I was looking for so I chose a Zinfandel – Ironstone Reserve 2012. This is not the time for a thin white or red because it would get lost in the juicy meat. I got the best ground sirloin from the butcher but I had him add chuck to give it flavor. When it comes to burgers and wine, my policy is, go big or go home.”

“Awesome idea. Have you seen my bedroom set; it weighs a ton. My friends are going to need a substantial meal when they’re through. If they survive.” Maxine laughed only half kidding.

I grabbed a card table at home and the picked up the usual condiments, including, ketchup, onions and mustard. The latter was something I had a lot of in my fridge so I brought a variety of mustards; yellow, whole grain, white wine, horseradish, sweet-hot and an Asian variety. It was only a sampling of what I had. Some would say I had a mustard fetish. I ordered hearty sourdough buns from the bakery.

“Need help Sylvia?” Alex called out.

“No thanks. I’d rather be lifting this spatula than hauling your furniture. I’m going to set up this table and use your kitchen chairs before they make it into the house.”

When Alex and Maxine’s friends were finished, they collapsed on the mismatched stairs. I had two pitchers of water on the table and they were gone in no time. It was my plan to quench their thirst ahead of serving the wine. I was afraid that otherwise they would gulp the wine. I didn’t know the guests well but Maxine said there were some sophisticated palates among them.

“This beef is grass fed and I stand behind this butcher as I’ve been using him for years. If you want rare though, eat at your own risk.”

“Sylvia.”

“Yeah John,” I said.

“How are you having yours?”

“Rare.” I smiled. “Raise your hand if you want it mooing.” Four hands went up. While I let the others cook, I began pouring the wine. “It’s a big Zinfandel – Ironstone Reserve 2012.”

The table grew quiet as my new friends bit into their burgers and sipped their wine.

“Right on Sylvia. This wine stands right up to the burger, which is amazing by the way. It’s rich and dense. Nearly as juicy as the meat.”

“I agree John. It has a somewhat fruity nose with a lot of blackberry and dark cherry. It lingers with the slightest touch of cedar and has a noticeably smooth finish for such an intense wine.”

“Nice pick Sylvia. When Alex and I get around to it, we plan to build a cellar in the basement. This will certainly be one of the bottles we’ll keep in mind. The smoky flavor of the Zinfandel plays off the smokiness of the burger. It’s really a great way to cap of a day of hard work.”

“Glad you like it Maxine because I left a bottle on your counter – happy housewarming!

“I hate to put a damper on things but I have a different take on the Zinfandel. It’s a beautiful sunny day and I don’t think anything this heavy is appropriate. It tastes as if we should be drinking it during a snowstorm. It’s not refreshing and it makes we want to take a nap.”

“Valid points Alex. In some cases, the wine needs to be paired with more than the food. I don’t agree but I see what you’re saying.”

“Don’t get me wrong Sylvia. This celebration was a great idea and if I’m the only one complaining; I’d call it a success. To Sylvia Sterling and her great wine parings.” Alex raised his glass and everyone else did as well.