Wine and Pizza Pairings

Pizza, the tasty delicious yeasted flatbread, is perhaps as ubiquitous worldwide as is wine making. The Italians have their classic pizza Napoletana, the French their salty pissaladière, the Chicagoans their hearty deep dish. And as varied as wine is, so is pizza with its plethora of toppings and crust variations. A good wine and pizza pairing lies mainly in matching the wine’s flavors and textures to the pizza’s toppings.

Malbec and Pizza

One could argue that Argentina, while originally colonized by the Spanish, looks to Italy for its true national heritage. Italy permeates Argentina in so many ways: the accent, traditional wine making
techniques, and its culinary inclinations. Pizza is everywhere in Argentina, from the many cheap cafés to the hippest of Buenos Aires restaurants. So is Malbec, Argentina’s signature grape. Malbec makes a
richly flavored, richly textured red wine, ranging from medium- to full-bodied.

Malbec goes extremely well with meat-topped pizza, strong enough to stand up to sausage and steak. A classic Argentine pizza is made up of white cheese, slices of ham and a hefty dose of green olives – here too, Malbec can shine. Be wary of too salty toppings though, as Malbec’s rich tannins can clash with the salt and make your pizza seem bitter.

Zinfandel and Pizza

Zinfandel may have its roots in Croatia, but it is arguably America’s national grape. Zinfandel is full of ripe cherries and spicy pepper. As such, Zinfandel makes for a great pair with pizza topped with spicy ingredients, like fresh peppers and dried chipotles.

Zinfandel could also be considered the workhorse of California’s wines – the grape produces wines that range from light, sweet White Zinfandel to juicy, full-bodied red Zinfandel. Sweeter wines like White Zinfandel, or the refreshing Pomegranate Zinfandel, are happy pairs with spicy toppings. Try a Hawaiian pizza – topped with pineapple and ham or chicken – with an off-dry Zinfandel for an especially tasty match.

Pinot Grigio and Pizza

Pinot Grigio is most familiar as a light, easy-drinking Italian wine exported worldwide. The grape is also known as Pinot Gris, as wine produced in places like Alsace, France and Oregon. A general rule is
that Pinot Grigio is lighter and more refreshing than Pinot Gris, which is more full-bodied and aromatically complex.

Pinot Grigio pairs well with pizzas topped with vegetables like sautéed broccoli rabe and spinach. Pinot Grigio also makes a fine pair with the classic pizza Napoletana, providing subtle structure to the sweetness of fresh tomatoes and the herbal notes of basil.