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What Wine Goes with Pizza? 12 Pairings for Pizza Night

I feel like I’m uniquely qualified to answer the question: What wine goes with pizza? I’m a Pizza Princess and Sommelier. What’s a Pizza Princess? Well, like every self-respecting Greek immigrant family in New England, my family owned a pizza shop. The daughter of the family is referred to as a Pizza Princess. I grew up doing homework in the back room of Lucky’s Pizza and started working there as soon as I was tall enough to reach the register. Wine came later, of course, but needless to say pizza and wine are two of my favorite things.

Pizza and wine is just heaven!

What Wine Goes with a Plain Cheese Pizza?

A plain cheese pizza pairs best with simple wines with enough acidity to cut through the cheesy goodness. Although it’s debatable if the Italians invented pizza or not, the logical pairing is Italian wine. For red, pair plain cheese pizza with Sangiovese or Chianti. For white, pair plain cheese pizza with Pinot Grigio.

What Wine Goes with a Margherita Pizza?

If you are asking what the difference between a plain cheese and a Margherita pizza is then I need to question our friendship. A Margherita pizza has mozzarella cheese, plum tomatoes, and basil. The best wine with a Margherita pizza is dry rosé wine. If you want a red wine with Margherita pizza opt for a Gamay from Beaujolais.

What Wine Goes with a Meat-Lovers Pizza?

Meat-lovers pizza is begging for a full-bodied wine to balance out all that pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and ham. Try a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Both have the weight to not be overpowered and the right amount of acidity.

What Wine Goes with a Pepperoni Pizza?

Pepperoni is one of the most popular pizza toppings. It’s just so good with the gooey cheese, yum yum! Pair the spiciness of pepperoni pizza with Syrah which also has black pepper notes. If you want to go Italian, try a Nero d’Avola from Sicily.

What Wine Goes with a Veggie Pizza?

A vegetarian pizza pairs great with the red wine Carmenere from Chile. Carmenere has a green pepper quality to it to complement all the greens on a veggie-lovers pizza. If you want a white wine, try a bottle of Furmint from Hungary which has some jalapeno notes.

What Wine Goes with Mushroom Pizza?

Mushroom pizza was always one of my favorites growing up. Too bad I was too young to really enjoy it with a proper glass of wine. Pinot Noir has a mushroom/earthy character which is an obvious match with mushroom pizza. For white wine, check out a Gruner Veltliner which also has a nice earthy/herbal element to it.

What Wine Goes with a Hawaiian Pizza?

Is there a pizza more controversial than Hawaiian pizza? Personally, I think it’s delicious and haters can keep scrolling. The pineapple and ham are an amazing pairing within themselves. The salty ham and sweet pineapple are so good together. Pair Hawaiian pizza with a Torrontes to bring out the tropical flavors of the pineapple. Another great pick would be a Viognier.

What Wine Goes with BBQ Chicken Pizza?

Barbecue sauce is smoky and sweet. A BBQ pizza would pair best with wines that are also a bit jammy like Zinfandel or Shiraz. If you’re feeling white wine with a BBQ chicken pizza, complement the sweet with an off-dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer.

What Wine Goes with White Pizza?

A white pizza is a pizza made without tomato sauce. Usually it’ll be brushed with olive oil instead. Pair white pizza, or pizza bianca, with a Sauvignon Blanc or Fiano.

What Wine Goes with Chicago Deep-dish Pizza?

Chicago Deep-dish pairs best with Sagrantino and I’ll tell you why. Sagrantino has the highest amount of polyphenols out of every other wine. Polyphenols help prevent heart attacks and you will be close to cardiac arrest after eating a slice of Chicago Deep-dish! My god there is a pound of cheese on every slice!!!

What Wine Goes with Anchovy Pizza?

I’m a firm believer that foods from the sea should be paired with wines from the islands or coasts. Pair anchovy pizza with Assyrtiko from Santorini. This pairing was introduced to me by fellow sommelier, Kleopatra Bright and it is delicious. No one knows fish better than the Portuguese, so try Anchovy Pizza with a Alvarinho, too.

What Wine Goes with Pesto Pizza?

Pesto is one of the staples of Ligurian cuisine. Pair pesto pizza with Vermentino, the famous white wine of Liguria. If you can’t get your hands on a Vermentino, pair pesto pizza with Chenin Blanc. There’s a really nice complement between the basil with the herbal quality of these white wines.

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Do you drink red or white wine with pizza?

Whether you drink red or white with with pizza is a personal choice. There are certain pizza toppings that pair better with red wine like pepperoni and ham. Some pizza toppings are better with white wine like vegetables and anchovies.

What goes better with pizza, beer or wine?

Beer is very refreshing with pizza. The carbonation helps cleanse the palate. Whereas, wine will actually make pizza taste even better.

National Pizza Day is February 9th!

Tell me what pizza and wine you’re having to celebrate!

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