Pizza is the ultimate casual, fun food, which probably explains why people in the U.S. eat something around 3 billion pizzas every year, according to Slice. Given its ubiquity, dwelling too much on the best wine with pizza pairing could seem a bit like perhaps you're missing the point.
Thinking about wine pairings is, believe it or not, fun (at least if you don't take it too seriously), and the truth is that a wine that goes amazingly well with a veggie pizza topped with green peppers and broccoli might not be the one that sings out in harmony with a meat lover's pepperoni-sausage-ham extravaganza (far more fat in the latter: good with red wine tannins).
CLASSIC CHEESE PIZZA MARGHERITA
Single-variety wines made from Piedirosso tend to be deep ruby in color and full bodied with soft tannins. Typical flavors in these wines include plum, cherry and brambly wild berry fruit. More complex characteristics such as espresso, mushroom and damp earth are exhibited in the better examples.
A minerally, almost salty characteristic can be found in many Piedirosso wines. This can in part be attributed to the volcanic soils in which the grape thrives.
The grape is grown in a number of DOC areas in Campania; Taburno, Campo Flegrei, Capri, Amalfi Coast, Falerno del Massico, Ischia, Penisola Sorrentina, Sannio and Vesuvio. However, blends containing Piedirosso are far more common than single-variety wines.
Perhaps the best-known wines majoring on Piedirosso are the Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio red and rosé wines. In these the must make up a minimum of 50 percent of the blend. Olivella and Aglianico are permitted to make up the remainder of the blend. Campi Flegrei, Penisola Sorrentina and Ischia red wines have similar requirements.
Whether it's a plain cheese or from a Margherita made with Buffalo Mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil, and tomatoes straight from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, the key here is simplicity (and not that much fat).
Chianti Classico really does work like a charm but so do other midweight reds, like Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or even Pinot Noir from Oregon.
2018 Badia A Coltibuono Chianti Classico
Chianti Classico refers to the region itself, not the style, but there's no question that this is spot-on Chianti Classico: crisp acidity, notes of dried herbs, wild berry flavors. It's a great weeknight dinner wine.
Pepperoni and Bold, Spicy Reds
There's such joy to be found in those upturned cups of heat-blasted pepperoni on the most popular pizza style in the U.S. There's also the (admittedly delicious) glistening oil that cured meats like pepperoni and Soppressata release as they cook. Look for reds with some tannic oomph to balance the fat.
2018 Cantina Colosi Nero D'Avola Sicilia
Terraced vineyards near the southern coast of Sicily provide the grapes for this dark-fruited, structured red — think black cherries and plums, fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel.
2017 Pasqua Passionesentimento Rosso
This abundantly flavorful Veronese red uses the primary grape of Amarone, Corvina, at its core. It's full-bodied and rich — if there were such a thing as a wild boar ragù pizza, this would be your go-to.
Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva
The first thing you notice, it bites down on your tongue. It's got real tannic structure. It goes really beautifully with fat.
2017 Dow Vale Do Monfim Duoro
Made from varieties like Touriga Nacional typically used for port wine, this purple-hued Portuguese red is full of ripe berry fruit and soft, mouth-coating tannins. A hint of violets lifts the aroma.
WINE with PIZZA and Garlic, very strong flavour. If you’re combining this with basil on a pizza, how about experimenting with skin-contact white wines, such as those made from Vermentino? They would ordinarily match up well with green pesto.
With so many toppings involved, wine and pizza can be a great avenue to explore and experiment with new pairing ideas.
Veggie Pies and Crisp, Chillable Reds
When we taste-tested a range of pizzas with a slew of wines from around the world at the F&W offices, we found that the No. 1 fave for a veggie-topped pizza was a light-bodied and (if you want) chillable red. The crisp zip of the wine was inarguably excellent with zucchini, broccoli, arugula, and more. Light Italian reds like Piedmont's Freisa grape were standouts, but there are plenty of other options.
2018 Fratelli Alessandria Verduno Pelaverga Speziale
This plummy Pelaverga comes from a family who has been making wine in the area since 1870; they're masters of this unusual grape.
2018 Pio Cesare Barbera d'Alba
Pio Boffa, the irrepressible force behind this historic Piedmontese producer's wines, passed away this year from COVID, a terrible loss. But his family will keep the winery going (as it has for five generations now), making wines like this cherry-spicy Barbera. Raise a toast to him with it.
2018 Vietti Freisa Vivace
Lightly tingly, bursting with ripe raspberry notes, and just generally full of life, this Piedmontese red from acclaimed Barolo winemaker Luca Currado is a delight to drink — serve it lightly chilled.
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