Pizza Wine

If you love both wine and pizza, this post is for you!

There is nothing better than pizza, wine and a good movie on a Saturday night. Just like any other food and wine pairing, there are certain pizza flavors that are complemented with particular wines.

Let's take a look at some of the most popular pizza types - Pepperoni, BBQ chicken, meatlovers, Hawaiian (yes, pineapple does go on pizza!), Margherita and vegetarian - along with their wine pairings. 

Pepperoni Pizza

Ah, the classic pepperoni! The high fat content and strong flavors of pepperoni - including spices like cayenne pepper, anise, garlic powder and paprika - lend themselves to a fruity Sangiovese, which is Italy’s most common red grape.

The fruitiness of a Sangiovese almost gives it a savory quality of sorts as well as medium acidity, which is perfect paired with pepperoni as it cuts through the fat and salt content.

Avoid light colored wines such as Rose. 

BBQ Chicken

The sweet, smokey and sometimes spicier kick of a BBQ chicken pizza call for a fruity red wine like a Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir is light-bodied, so its flavors are not overwhelming and pair beautifully with the smokiness of a BBQ sauce.

If the BBQ sauce takes more of a sweet taste, you may also like to consider a Malbec, whose fruity flavors are richer than those of a Pinot Noir.

The tannins in both a Pinot Noir and Malbec also let the flavor of the chicken come through without overpowering it.

Avoid white wines with BBQ chicken pizza, especially those that have lighter bodies. 

Meatlovers

The range of flavors that are offered in a meatlovers pizza require a wine that can match them and create a unique combination.

A Cabernet Sauvignon is the best pick here as its fruitiness and higher tannin level can handle the fat content of the meats used, while beautifully bringing out their flavors.

Like the BBQ chicken pizza, we would always recommend avoiding a light-bodied white wine with a meatlovers.

Hawaiian 

A Hawaiian pizza has a beautiful range of flavors including the saltiness of ham and the zingy tang of the pineapple.

To create an explosion of flavor, a sweet style Riesling is the perfect wine pairing. We would typically avoid rich red wines as they can overpower the other flavors. 

 

 

Margherita

The simplicity of a Margherita calls for a wine that has subtle flavors that enhance the pizza.

The creaminess of the mozzarella, the tang of the tomato and the fresh basil flavors work well with a citrusy Pinot Grigio.

This wine will not overpower the flavors of the pizza, whereas something bold and rich like a Cabernet or Shriaz would.

A medium-dry Rose would also be a suitable option. 

Vegetarian

Veggie pizzas are bursting with fresh, delicious flavors and often get overlooked when compared to other pizza options. But there is nothing better than a crispy flatbread pizza loaded with roasted veggies.

Due to the variety of flavors that the veggies bring to a pizza, it is best to opt for a gentle wine that has citrus hints with subtle herby notes, like a Chardonnay.

We tend to avoid rich reds, but a Pinot Noir would work well with a veggie pizza, especially if the veggies are roasted.