The Red Wines(01 of11)
Open Image ModalThe White Wines(02 of11)
Open Image ModalThe Whole Shebang(03 of11)
Open Image ModalWhile we didn't try every single item on Burger King's menu, we did try a representative variety. The dishes were evenly split between chicken and beef, and while we purchased a fish sandwich as well, it was in all honesty not something I would take a second bite of, so the pairing idea sort of fell by the wayside.I have to admit that the items that made up the groups of dishes (chicken and beef) were distinct enough to each warrant pairing with a different wine. Something that I found frankly surprising!
Chicken Fries(04 of11)
Open Image ModalI started off with the aptly named Chicken Fries. Basically, long strips of chicken that are distinguished from the Chicken Tenders by the higher ratio of breading to chicken and more intense seasonings.The big losers here were the Chardonnay and the Zinfandel, which both came off as flat and hollow with the Chicken Fries. The Rhone blend held its own but was a bit indistinct. The rene Barbier offered a nice cleansing counterpoint to the fries but not much in the way of flavor.The WinnersThe Wolftrap - this had just the right richness to handle the breading and grease of the fries, and the spiciness of the wine and the fries paired really well. It was a bit of a spice war, so if you don't like spicy this might not work for you but I thought it was a solid match.Santa Carolina Pinot Noir - this was a real surprise to me but the wine played a perfect supporting role with his dish, offering a nice pop of fruit to contrast with the spice of the fries and enough acidity to cleanse the palate!
Chicken Tenders(05 of11)
Open Image ModalThe Chicken Tenders have more chicken flavor than the fries do and are also more subtly seasoned, perhaps a bit sweeter, and probably a bit lighter on the grease content.Both the Wolftrap and the Stump Jump were stripped of their fruit by these nuggets and the Pinot Noir turned soft and innocuous. On the other hand, the Rene Barbier offered a nice, albeit simple refreshing counterpoint to the nuggets.The WinnersBoth winners seemed to have benefited from the sweetness inherent in the breading of the nuggets. The Eberle Chardonnay and Z-52 Zinfandel both gained a nice sweet tone which highlighted the rich fruit of these wines. Not what I expected at all, but that's why these tastings are so much fun!
The Original Chicken Sandwich(06 of11)
Open Image ModalI remember this sandwich from my youth and memories like that are best left alone. This was a fairly sweet, bready sandwich with some chicken flavor, but more of a generic sandwich element.The worst match here was the Zinfandel, which turned hot and sweet with the sandwich, while the Rene Barbier turned short and thin. The Pinot Noir also turned thin and fruitless.The WinnersWith three winners, there were a lot to choose from here. The Stump Jump was a surprise to me here, but its spicy fruit contrasted with the sandwich, creating some complexity. The Wolftrap felt both richer and higher in acid here, while the Eberle Chardonnay added layers of oak spice and a big surge of fruit.
(07 of11)
Open Image ModalSo, there really is a difference between the Original Chicken Sandwich and the Tendercrisp, besides the addition of tomatoes. This was a much better sandwich with more chicken flavors and a less processed feel.Interestingly, the oakier whites stumbled here as both came off as over-oaked when paired with the Tendercrisp, though the Eberle's fruit stod up well here. The oak on the Zinfandel and the Pinot Noir also turned dominant, throwing the wines out of balance.The WinnersThe Rene Barbier hit its stride with this sandwich, a bit rounded and simple, but its intensity was in balance here. The Stump Jump, on the other hand, once again surprised me. It was bright and juicy with this dish, smooth and lovely with big black fruits. It sounds like it would overpower the dish, but somehow it just knit together perfectly.
The BK Double Stacker w/ Bacon(08 of11)
Open Image ModalSo here we move onto beefy items, starting with the most compact burger, the BK Double Stacker, which had two beef patties in a small, if bready, bun. This actually had some decent beef flavor. Though the bacon on the sandwich was visible, it sadly added very little in terms of flavor.The only wine to really be a dud here was the Zinfandel, thin and hot. The Rene Barbier's acid was a welcome relief, though the wine didn't really add much to the pairing, much like the Pinot Noir.The WinnersAnother pairing with triple winners, surprisingly, two of the white wines. The Wolftrap really showed nice balacne here with acid, wood, spice and fruit all coming into harmony when paired with the burger. The Eberle Chardonnay was less successful for me, but it still stood up to the burger and showed some assertive fruit on the finsih. The Stump Jump was a great pairing, turning more red fruited and exhibiting enough acidity and jammy fruit to handle this burger with ease!
The Steakhouse XT(09 of11)
Open Image ModalThis is the big burger at Burger King these days and it shows. Not only is there more meat here, but there's more char as well, probably in an attempt to get more of the fresh-off-the-grill taste.The char definitely posed problems for many of the wines, in particular, the Rene Barbier and the Pinot Noir, which both turned thin and insipid. The Stump Jump showed more acid with this pairing and less fruit, with a hint of astringency.The WinnersStill more triple winners, though in this case, the Eberle Chardonnay beat The Wolftrap. The Eberle sweetened up a bit on the palate with huge citrus and pineapple fruit, and noticeable oak that was all balanced by the burger, while The Wolftrap showed more oak and acid, though it held its own well. The really winner here, however, was the Z-52 Zinfandel, which gained nice focus and balance when paired with the burger, and here the bitter char actually allowed the fruit and spice of the wine to pop.
The Whopper(10 of11)
Open Image ModalIt's only fitting that we end with the iconic Whopper, though much like the Original Chicken Sandwich, this tastes more like a generic sandwich than a beef hamburger.The Rene Barbier and Santa Carolina were simply no match for everything going on here, while the Chardonnay and Zinfandel both clashed with the Whopper, which made both taste a bit too sweet and thinned out the textures.The WinnersBoth The Wolftrap and The Stump Jump really shined with the Whopper. In both cases, these were pairings where the textures of the wines melded beautifully with the texture of the burger. I liked the creaminess of the Wolftrap with its minerally and spicy counterpoints to the burger, but the Stump Jump's bright fruit was one of the pairings of the day for me!
Conclusions(11 of11)
Open Image ModalSo where does that leave us? Surprised, I would say. One thing you have to give Burger King is that their motto has it totally right. With burgers, as with wine, you should "Have It Your Way."Now while I say that, I have to add that having it my way in this case would have prevented me from learning how well some wines pair with Burger King and why.If I had it my way, I would never have tried pairing The Wolftrap for example, but it taught me a valuable lesson about food and wine pairing. In part, these fast food pairings are simply designed to be fun, but I hope they are also educational for you because they have certainly been so for me! Remember, drink what you like, but be open to new experiences for in wine, you never know what's going to make you go wow!