What wine goes with burgers?

A juicy, medium-bodied red like Zinfandel, Malbec or a Côtes du Rhône is the best wine for burgers, since it has enough fruit for ketchup and toppings and enough grip for the beef.

A burger is beef, fat, salt, and then whatever you stack on it: cheese, bacon, ketchup, pickles. Skip the fancy bottle and grab a friendly one. Juicy, fruity reds with moderate tannin work with nearly any burger. Save the expensive Cabernet for steak.

4 bottles that actually work with burgers

• 1. Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel

  about $12

  Zinfandel · most grocery stores

  Jammy and peppery, with enough fruit to handle ketchup and barbecue sauce. The best all-around burger wine on the shelf.

• 2. 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon

  about $12

  Cabernet Sauvignon · nearly everywhere

  A soft, approachable Cabernet that doesn’t get too grippy. Great with a classic cheeseburger.

• 3. E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône

  about $15

  Syrah and Grenache · grocery and wine shops

  Savory, a little peppery and dark-fruited. The grown-up pick for a mushroom burger or anything with blue cheese.

• 4. Ménage à Trois Red Blend

  about $11

  Red blend · nearly everywhere

  Smooth and a little sweet. Pours easily for a backyard crowd and does not mind a squirt of ketchup.

Depends how you are cooking it

Classic cheeseburger

Zinfandel or a soft Cabernet.

Bacon or BBQ burger

Smoky and sweet. Zinfandel all the way.

Blue cheese or mushroom burger

Earthy and funky. Côtes du Rhône or Malbec.

Turkey or veggie burger

Lighter. Pinot Noir or a dry rosé.

What to skip

Expensive, tannic Cabernet

Wasted on a burger. Ketchup and pickles make big tannin taste harsh.

Delicate whites

No match for beef and cheese. Rosé is the better non-red option.

Also worth a look

• What wine goes with BBQ?
• What wine goes with steak?
• What wine goes with cheese?

Last checked 2026-10-04.