The Sommelier-Recommended Wine To Pair With Patty Melt Sandwiches

The art of wine pairing can go far beyond the typical cheese and pasta accompaniment. There are seemingly endless wine and snack pairings to try. It seems there's a perfect wine out there for any food you love; you just need to know where to find it. Doreen Winkler is a natural wine sommelier and an orange wine expert, as well as the founder of Orange Glou, the world's first orange wine subscription service and wine store in New York City. According to Winkler, grilled cheese and orange wine are an excellent color-coordinated combo. But, what about patty melt sandwiches? She's got an answer for that, too, and this wine and sandwich pairing just might make you change your dinner plans. 

Whether you're cooking a patty melt at home, or you're picking up one of the best fast food options, all patty melts share some traits. Somewhere between a cheeseburger and a grilled cheese, patty melts contain bread, cheese, a beef patty, and often onions. So, which wine makes these flavors taste their best? "I would say a Gamay from Beaujolais would complement the meat and onions really well while being refreshing and not overpowering," Winkler told us. Gamay is a light red wine, and its unique fruity notes will make your patty melt taste even better than it usually does –– and that's saying something.

Gamay isn't one of the most common wines out there, so if you've never tried a glass, this is a perfect opportunity to try it alongside a freshly made patty melt. Gamay has notes of things like cherry, strawberry, and plum. And, according to Doreen Winkler, these fruity flavors are ideal for the meaty, savory taste of every patty melt. "The notes of cherry in the wine and the char of the grilled patty would be very complementary towards each other," Winkler told us. 

If you're preparing a patty melt or something similar like a grilled cheese or a cheeseburger, you can always look for wines with notes of cherry. Aside from Gamay, there are many other wine options with plenty of cherry flavor to balance out the heavy meat and cheese. Pinot Noir is a popular red wine with a prominent cherry taste, as well as other red berries. For something sparkling, you can opt for a Lambrusco, or you could try Lemberger, which has a spicier flavor.