Hatch Chili Burgers with a Chilean Cab

 This month in #WorldWineTravel we are exploring wines made in Chile.  Of course, I wanted to capture the essence of the country with Hatch chilies, but I also knew that I wanted to explore a good cab to serve with burgers this summer, and I think I stumbled on a good one. Thanks to Cam and Wendy for hosting us this month.

Hatch chilies are important to the New Mexico food culture.  They are on everything and I am dying to make a trip there.  Hatch chilies are grown in the Hatch valley which has mineral deposits from the Rio Grande and a unique growing climate.  The season runs from the first of August until the first of October.  I will plan my trip accordingly!

This burger is very simple, but let's be frank.  It is the Hatch chili "salsa" that makes this burger outstanding.  Our technique is to blister fresh chilies on our gas stovetop, let them cool wrapped in plastic wrap, then chop them roughly.  Add to the other ingredients and you have some darned good Hatch chili salsa!

The wine I chose is a Cabernet Sauvignon.  This Chateau Los Boldos Tradition Reserve 2020 is a good bargain at $14 a bottle, not too splurgy for a hamburger dinner.  It's a pretty transparent red color, with intense black fruit flavors, medium-bodied with a well-balanced acidity.  It pairs well with the burgers with the fruitiness and the spice of the Hatch chilies.  A nice pick, for sure!

Here are some delicious Chilean wine pairings from other wine writers.  Be sure to check them out, as they have beautiful pairings and incredible palates.

• A Bloody Good Rack of Lamb + 2019 Viña González Bastias País by Culinary Cam
• Chilean Crab Dip and a Modern Style Chardonnay by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chilean Sauvignon Blanc and Easter Island Memories by Avvinare
• Hatch Chili Burgers with a Chilean Cab by Our Good Life
• Hot Chilean Pairings: 4 Wines from Chile with Quinoa Citrus Salad, Empanadas, Cazuela de Vacuna by Wine Predator ... Gwendolyn Alley