Bordeaux and burgers? We’re not the only ones who say so!  In fact, in Sideways, one of the most famous wine movies ever, the main character Miles goes for a burger and Bordeaux; go here for more on that story.  Honestly, when we have expensive wine samples I feel guilty if we don’t do a high end expensive meal: read a really nice quality steak or other expensive complicated meal to make. But I BOUGHT this Halter Ranch Ancestor Bordeaux style red blend when Sue and I visited years ago and because Sue hates steak and loves hamburgers, and because I have the most wonderful ripe heirloom tomatoes in my garden which I adore on a well made burger, and because we’re a bit busy and this is easy and delicious, I gave myself permission for us to go in this direction. Which is entirely different than the fast food burger Miles went with in Sideways!

AND perhaps most importantly really, why not enjoy burgers during a fall or winter holiday or family gathering? Everyone loves them! But instead of going with some cheap meat, splurge: go to your local meat market, get to know your butcher, and get some REAL ground beef, or even game like bison or veal. You can also try mixing your own: add lamb!  If you want to do turkey but don’t want to deal with the bird, how about turkey burgers? Or do a portabella!

The richer the wine, the more complex and richer the burger needs to be. For this wine, in addition to using a higher quality meat, add a rich cheese like a creamy Spanish blue or a Cambozola which combines a triple cream brie with a blue.  Use the absolutely best tomato you can find. If you’re a fan of onions, caramelize them. Use a high quality bun, like a brioche bun or try a pretzel bun. I love spicy, nutty arugula for my greens. 

Halter Ranch is a stunning property on the west side of Paso Robles wine growing region near Tablas Creek. Like Tablas, they pride themselves on taking care of the land, but unlike Tablas, they are not biodynamic, but Halter Ranch is an organic nature estate. Founded in 2000, Halter Ranch is dedicated to terroir-driven wine and taking care of their   2,700-acres, with 200-acres of organic vineyards, walnuts, olives and more. That’s a significant amount of the property left to protecting wildlife and diversity!

Swiss entrepreneur, philanthropist, and world-leading land conservationist Hansjörg Wyss wanted to provide an homage to his mother, Alice Halter, and a haven for the native biodiversity. A CCOF Certified Organic Vineyard with 20 grape varieties, Halter Ranch uses organic farming practices throughout to preserve the environment for generations to come by taking a holistic approach to viticulture with year-round sheep grazing and a 60-inch trellis system in its vineyards for weed abatement and fertilization. Learn about their wide selection of wines (here). 

Sue and I will be visiting Halter Ranch in December or January, meeting up with Winemaker Kevin Sass, Proprietor Hansjörg Wyss and/or General Manager & Vice President Bryce Mullins to get a better sense of the place and the wines. Plus we’ll be celebrating the holidays with their new picpoul blanc sparkling wine!  

Happy holidays to you and yours!

Menu

• Gourmet Burger
• Fries 
• New York Cheesecake and Raspberry Jam

Wines

• 2021 Halter Ranch Rose

• 2016 Halter Ranch Ancestor

2021 Halter Ranch Rose

ABV: 12.9%
SRP: text
Grapes: 71% Grenache, 22% Picpoul Blanc, 7% Mourvedre
I’m pretty sure I purchased this. 

Appearance: Coral, peach, salmon, apricot

Aroma: Nectarine, chamomile, minerals, oak woodland, 

Palate: Tart and pucker, lemon, unripened stone fruit, nectarine on the finish, wild strawberry, very dry, lots of clean minerals, there is a nice weight to the wine,  a rose made for food rather than a pool pounder

Pairing: For the holidays, think ham or smoked turkey, also great brunch wine we were thinking Croque Monsour. Roast vegetables play very nicely with the wine, sweet roasted tomato, onion, garlic, and summer veggies are a perfect companion to the wine bringing out more rich tart fruit in the wine. The oven roasted French fries are Divine with the wine. salty, savory, rich potato is perfect with the bright tart acidic wine. The two are so good together you could have a course with just the rose and oven roasted fries. There is an earthiness in the wine that you don’t think about until you have it with the potatoes, the salt and the rosemary really brings out the fruit. Our New York cheesecake was fine with the wine as long as it was without the jam, if it were to have fresh fruit, it might be better, but on its own with the wine it worked quite nicely. It was so surprising that our cheesecake which was not so sweet was really great with the wine. 

2016 Halter Ranch Ancestor

ABV: 14.6%
SRP: text
Grapes: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petit Verdot, 11% Malbec
I purchased this.

 The Ancestor pays homage to the Ancestor Tree, the largest Coast Live Oak tree on record.  The blend changes year to year but always  showcases the ranch terroir, and leads with Cabernet Sauvignon, with the remainder often Petit Verdot and Malbec. I look forward to seeing this tree myself and sharing photos of it!

Ancestor ($85) Halter Ranch’s flagship, a structured finish with integrated tannins complemented by flavors of the French oak., they say.

Appearance:  Deep, dark, and dense, you cannot see through the glass, the legs are also deep in color as they stick to the glass, ruby with a garnet rim, so very dense

Aroma: Fascinating, Fruit and perfume, and incense, and herbs, chaparral, rich ripe dark fruit, pipe tobacco, potpourri, cinnamon, graphite, there is so much going on, makes you want to dive right in, 

Palate: So delicious, rich ripe cherry fruit, mouthwatering, very balanced, graphite, tar, very smooth and enveloping, such intense flavors, fresh picked blueberry, fresh cut grass, big and bold yet so well balanced that you don’t feel like it is as big of a wine as it is. We loved this wine, it is a wine you could sip by the glass or that would enhance a wonderful meal.

Pairing: Our amazing Ventura Meat market burgers were so perfect grilled on the BBQ and paired with the wine. The umami richness and the grilled meat really sets off the wine as well as the richness in the wine, Rich meets rich and runs off to marry, The New York cheese cake works much better with the wine when topped with raspberry jam. The sweetness in the berry jam brings out the rich fruit in the wine. The spices in the crust of the cheesecake bring out the rich spice in the wine. 

The Quirky Cork says “This month we’ll look at heritage/traditional varieties in countries and regions where they are not native. Think Zinfandel in CA, Malbec in Argentina, Pinot Noir in Germany, Bordeaux varieties in Toscana…Any country, any region, any grape!” For more about the topic, go here; Andrea plans to host a Threads chat on November 11 at 11 am EST. For more ideas about this theme, check out: 

• Culinary Cam shares: A Geography Lesson + a Taste of Bulgaria: Bob Chorba and a Blend of Mavrud and Rubin from Thrace
• Terri from Our Good Life is talking about: Don’t Let the Grape Fool You: Bordeaux from Toscana
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares: Getting to know Cinnabari from Dracaena
• David from Cooking Chat gives us Pairings with Halter Ranch Wines
• Andrea from The Quirky Cork presents: An Exploration of Heritage Grapes in Turkey