Winey Tasting Notes: Classing Up Turkey Burgers With a Little Black Dress (Merlot)

Both of my children went through their food obsession stages. At one point we thought our daughter would actually just turn into a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. Or a bottle of apple juice. Our now 6 foot 3 inch son didn’t obsess over one food – for him, it was an entire restaurant: “Bob Effanz” (or, to those older than 2, Bob Evans). I thought they’d outgrow it. Nope. All they did was grow up. The now 16 year old daughter is obsessed with turkey burgers. With or without cheese, kaiser roll or multi grain bun. The new food of choice. So the other night I gave in to her once again and cooked up a batch for dinner.

I am not against turkey burgers. They’re very tasty. But it just so happened that on the night I defrosted said burgers, I was in the mood for something a little more upscale. Alas, the lobsters with drawn butter were not to be had, so I decided to upscale my drink and opened a Little Black Dress Merlot (2009, 13.5%, California). It is not unusual for my family to see me sip as I cook. It is one of my great pleasures and I am convinced it makes me a better cook, no matter what faces they make at me and/or the food. So there.

Little did I realize that I was slipping into a little black VELVET dress! (For turkey burgers? Oh well.) This wine was a very pretty dark red color and it gave off a bouquet of blackberry and blueberry with some cherry overtones. It tasted of all those lovely berries and a tinge of oak. But what really got my attention away from the burgers was the way it felt in my mouth. Medium bodied, soft and supple with such a smooth finish. Seriously, I wrote down the word “velvet” in my winey little tasting book. What a treat as I flipped burgers and roasted potatoes. It made the whole dinner a little bit more elegant (as long as we shut our eyes and didn’t see me still in my workout gear, daughter in basketball shorts and doggie doing her pathetic begging routine beside the table. Hubby was still in work clothes so he kind of raised the bar I guess).

I loved this wine! And to do it justice, the next night I sizzled up some high class steaks to finish the bottle off with. I should note that the wine tasted just as good, if not a little bit better, the next day – a bit more mellow, maybe? I love when that happens.

So slip into a little black velvet dress – it won’t matter if it’s the “wrong” season for velvet…my wine drinking is seasonless!!

Cheers!

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