You may know what wine to pair with your steak, but what if you’re in the mood for a sandwich and still want it to go down smoothly with a glass of wine? In the world of booze and sandwich pairings there are some pretty wild sounding combinations, like a French 75 cocktail and a bologna sandwich, but there’s actually a lot of thought that goes into marrying even the most disparate foods and beverages.
If a classic peanut butter and jelly is your jam, and you’re looking for a wine that works with it, we’ve done the leg work for you. We asked Ricardo Cubias, assistant general manager and Level Three Sommelier at Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach in Oxnard, California, to help us with this culinary challenge and he delivered. He suggested a wine that can stand up to what sets this sandwich apart from many others: jelly. His suggestion? “Believe it or not, a chilled Lambrusco or a slightly sweet Zinfandel,” he told Chowhound in an exclusive Q & A. “Something fruit[y] and playful, just like the sandwich.”
Different jelly or nut butter requires a different wine
While a Lambrusco or fruity Zinfandel works for the most common version of this sandwich, i.e. one made with grape jelly and peanut butter, if you swap out the traditional ingredients, you’ll need to do the same for the wine. There are many ways to upgrade your PB&J and one of those is swapping out strawberry or raspberry jam for grape jelly. If you do, Ricardo Cubias has different wine suggestions. “For strawberry, try a juicy Grenache Rosé,” he said. “For raspberry, go for a Zinfandel or even a fruit[y] Beaujolais-Villages.”
If you prefer a different nut butter, like almond butter, the wine you pair your sandwich with will again change. “If you’re using almond butter, you want to accentuate the earthy — go with a nutty Oloroso sherry or a Chardonnay,” Cubias suggested. And while you should probably stick with a healthier nut butter rather than the sweeter Nutella, if you’re going for decadence and want that chocolate and hazelnut delight on your sammy, Cubias has a pairing for it. “For Nutella, lean into dessert vibes — try a Ruby Port or even a rich Central Coast Syrah,” he said. So, if you’re looking to turn your simple PB&J into a culinary experience, try one of Cubias’ suggestions and level it up with a glass of wine.
