Pairing Wine… With Pizza?

While no one’s disputing that a nice beer is a good accompaniment for an Italian pie, there’s another option for those who are willing to experiment and have a taste for wine. Although not a traditional choice, wine and pizza can be an excellent combination.  As is so often the case when making a new pairing, choosing the right wine is crucial.

The typical pizza consists of a pizza dough crust, topped with a slightly sweet, spicy tomato sauce, an abundance of mozzarella cheese, and a variety of vegetables and meat, usually something slightly spicy and salty, like Italian sausage or pepperoni.  Breaking this down in terms of its effect on wine, the best wine choices will be lower in acid, and carry a very forward fruit taste.  This compensates for the high acidity of the tomato sauce, while not being overcome by the slight sweetness of the tomato sauce and other vegetables.

A medium bodied red wine will usually work the best. Good choices in this category might be a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel.

If you are looking to match a pizza with your white wine, however, try a white pizza, which doesn’t include tomato sauce.  This milder pizza allows for a wide range of white wine choices; Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc work well.