August 3, 2023

A little over a year ago, we did a tasting at McCall’s Winery, and as I was paying, Mrs. McCall suggested that we come back on a Thursday or Friday night when they serve burgers, made from the Charolais cattle they raise on their property.  Being burger lovers, we fully intended to do so, but never got around to it.  Then our winery aficionado friends proposed that we join them for a burger night.  We were delighted.

When we arrived, the parking lot seemed full, but our friend found a spot toward the back.  As we waited for the hostess, we commented to our friends that we were glad they had made a reservation, as almost all the tables seemed to be full.  There were groups of friends, couples, and families, all relaxing and eating burgers and drinking wine Well, not the kids of course.  There’s ginger ale on the menu, too.

Speaking of the menu, it is quite simple.  You can have your McCall burger with or without cheddar cheese, $15 either way, with or without crispy French fries, an additional $8.  There is also an “Artisanal Cheese Board” for $24.  Oh, and a package of four homemade chocolate chip cookies for $8, which you order at the same time as your meal, and which come cellophane wrapped alongside your burgers. A bottle of chilled water is delivered to your table shortly after you sit down.

So then the big decision was which wine to order.  We quickly agreed to get a red.  When I was there for a tasting, I wrote that if I came for burger night, I would most likely get Ben’s Blend, my favorite of their reds.  However, a look at the menu made me reconsider that choice, as a bottle of Ben’s was $69.  Yikes.  We settled on the Merlot Reserve, which was $32, and was delicious, a fairly typical North Fork merlot, with lots of black cherry taste.

The burgers were meaty and juicy, the fries crisp and salty, the cookies filled with chocolate chips.  We ate, drank, chatted, and enjoyed the mild summer evening.  “See you next week,” we heard a departing patron tell the hostess, and I can see why.  If you just want a burger in a relaxed outdoor setting, McCall’s is clearly the place to go.