• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, August 25, 2020

It’s hard not to notice the predictable slog of any given week these days. There’s frozen pizza Friday, and Taco Tuesday. And the slow, steady grind of family food prep punctuated by bags of drive-through burgers.

That’s why the latest from Carl’s Jr. caught my eye.

The chain, which recently introduced something called the Steakhouse Angus Thickburger, is rolling out a wine-pairing experience with Nocking Point Wines.

Wine snobs, stop laughing. While Americans never expect to be able to combine alcohol with fast food (unless they’re John Travolta in “Pulp Fiction”), these days, desperate parents are even pairing any food with adult beverages.

A new study from Wine Intelligence finds that wine consumption is up during COVID-19, thanks to more wine-drinking occasions. Purchases are also up. And while overall spending is down a bit, younger and “more involved” wine drinkers are spending more per bottle. So, yeah, pairing some quality reds with a fast-food meal may be just what the pandemic doctor ordered 

The choices include  a collection of bold red wines chosen to complement “the rich and indulgent, steakhouse flavors from the burger’s hand-seasoned, 100% all-beef Angus patty and A1 Thick & Hearty Steak Sauce.”

Carl’s Jr., which ranks 30^th in QSR Magazine’s recently released report on the top 50 brands, says the wine-pairing experience fits into its overall “Feed your happy” marketing campaign it introduced earlier this year 

“As many customers continue to look for new ways to elevate their nights in,” it says in its announcement, “Carl’s Jr. will partner with Nocking Point Wines to introduce a limited-edition Carl’s Jr. x Nocking Point Wines Steakhouse Burger Box."

Each box, which people can buy on the wine club’s website, comes with a bottle of Nocking Point Wines’ 2017 Amell-bec Malbec, 2017 Turnaround Red and 2016 Year VII Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah Blend, as well as Carl’s Jr. gift card. People can retrieve their  Steakhouse Angus Thickburger at their local Carl’s Jr., using either takeout or drive-through.

The box also includes custom one-of-a-kind “Steakhouse” recipes that can be created at home to go with the limited-time burger and wine offerings.