Hi there! As my affair with pizza making began a pretty long time ago, I believe that it deserves more than just a status of a delicious junk food.
Also, I believe you can have a high-class dinner with pizza. Especially homemade. And if it’s served with a bottle of pleasant wine — belissimo! So, what kind of wine goes with pizza?
Is it red or white wine with pizza? Well, numerous factors come into play, actually. You should follow a few rules of wine pairing with pizza craft:
- Taste. The wine can’t clash with the pizza topping. Certain flavors can only be served with a specific type of food: fish, meat, fruits, desserts, baked vegetables etc.
- Color. Wine’s color also plays a tremendous role. The red wine is mostly paired with meat. The rosé wine with chicken. Meanwhile, sparkling white wine nicely accompanies anything fruit-flavored.
- Country of origin. Each wine has its own character. Which, in turn, depends on its ‘nationality’. Compare a vivid Italian or French flavors to a solid German wine from the Rhine shores.
Yes, it’s a whole science actually. But don’t be scared by all this abracadabra. My 7 best wine with pizza picks will help you to solve this delicious mystery. Bon appétit!
Amazon Bestseller
Top 7 Best Wine with Pizza Reviews
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon: Pepperoni Strikes Again
Cabernet Sauvignon is a red wine with an incredibly rich bouquet. Coming from California, it seems to have soaked with hot Cali sun rays, as long as the fragrance of all flowers and fruit trees in the vicinity. This is my personal top choice for pizza.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a real eruption of taste. Here, we have chocolate notes. Cherry and vanilla add certain smoothness to the flavor. And berries vibes, with tart cherry and blueberry dominating, add a refreshing feel. This wine is exquisite, hands down!
Traditionally, Cabernet must be paired with meat. Therefore, I suggest you try this wine with any meat topping: beef, Buffalo bacon, chicken, prosciutto, and even venison.
Additional elements to couple with Cabernet Sauvignon are Gorgonzola, caramelized onions, BBQ sauce, roasted Brussels sprouts, and others. This wine will nicely counterbalance all the spiciness that a typical meat topping could deliver.
At the same time, Cabernet Sauvignon is a treat on its own. After a pizza pie is finished, you can just sit back, sipping it in peace. A rich flavor bouquet will cleanse the pizza’s aftertaste. And a nice conversation is a must, of course. This is the best wine with pizza on my list.
- An excellent bouquet;
- Stylish packaging;
- Strangely low price;
- Suits absolutely all meat toppings.
- Runs out too fast.
Cru International Italian Sangiovese: the Best Red Wine with Pizza
Italian Sangiovese isn’t just a bottle of ruby goodness. It’s a whole wine kit. Upon delivery, you can bottle it yourself and leave in a cellar to age. A pure wine DIY, if you ask me.
Now, the wine itself is a marvelous choice. It has a distinct and brisk cherry tone. A ghostly presence of figs, strawberry, and even citrus can also be caught sometimes. It’s a fine late summer sweetness. Mixed with a magnetic aroma.
Sometimes pizza and wine pairing doesn’t go smoothly. But if you ask me, Sangiovese is a wonderful choice for almost every meat pizza.
It harmonizes especially well with pepperoni. Here’s why: pepperoni is pretty fat. It’s made of a pork + beef meat. And then we have cayenne, anise, sugar, salt, and paprika.
It’s quite a spicy bouquet, mama mia! So, to relieve its intrusive meat taste, mixed with cheese, we need a strong, saturated flavor. That’s when Sangiovese enters the scene.
To sum it up, Italian Sangiovese is a top choice for a solid dinner. It has a warm, like August’s midday, flavor. It’s fragrant. A bit sweet and a bit tart. And, in addition, it can enhance the deliciousness of any meat. Certainly, the best red wine with pizza.
- Excellent addition for a meat pizza;
- Balances pepperoni;
- Warm taste;
- Provides relaxation.
- Not bottled.
La Marca Prosecco, 750 ml: a Lively Choice for a Lovely Evening
Our first contender is La Marca Prosecco. It has a distinct Italian touch in both the bottle’s design and the wine’s overall taste. So, I have to admit it’s a successful emulation of an Italian brew since La Marca has actually Californian origins (as a part of E&J Gallo Winery).
But genealogy aside, let’s dissect its flavor anatomy. As a classic Prosecco, it has a dry and somewhat crisp flavor. Although I’m not a huge fan of the dry sorts, I have to admit Prosecco unfolds a whole symphony of taste upon the first sip.
So, what will your tongue buds be tickled with? First, I can sense a strong tonality of apple and pear, with a light admixture of citrus. And then, as a finishing chord, you catch a nice little note of honeysuckle. Before it finally fades away to let the dryness overwhelm your palate.
What can I say? It’s a mightily refreshing potion! Prosecco chemistry has a certain mood of midsummer somewhere in Florence or at least Cali’s San Jose. Although it’s dry, it features a mild sweetness. And its bubbles are quite piquant. So, technically it’s almost a champagne.
Since La Marca Prosecco is so refreshing, I recommend it to balance any pizza pie with pepperoni. Any fruit-stuffed pizzas too — especially with summer figs, melons or plums. And don’t forget the good-old Hawaiian. You’ll get extra score for adding to its pineapple topping some extra fruit like kiwi.
So, all in all, La Marca Prosecco is a charming pick for a light pizza diner. It nicely contrasts pepperoni topping. It is a great addition to the light-flavored fruit pizzas. So if you miss summer, definitely try it. Putting an ice cube or two in the wine glass will only make it taste better.
- Refreshing taste;
- String fruit tonality;
- Has an Italian spirit;
- Nicely complements fruit pizzas.
- Yesty aftertaste.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris, 750 ml: a Great Wine for a Pizza Night
Such a long tradition affects Pinot Gris benevolently. It’s a soft white wine with an elusive lemon aftertaste. Again, a very sunny, very summery flavor palette.
Fruity notes are pretty noticeable too. And if you have a sensitive taste, prepare to get a vertigo from a kaleidoscope of tones that include apples, July’s cherries, pears, and so forth. Unfortunately, my taste spectrum isn’t subtle enough to name all of them.
This pizza wine is the top, best, finest choice for any pizza with chicken. Its brisk but smooth bouquet and natural sweetness will go along with the BBQ chicken pizza like a charm.
Even if you add an extra pinch of paprika and a bit more mozzarella than usual, it’s okay. Yes, they bring saltiness, which provokes thirst. But a mighty sip of Pinot Gris will bring a revitalizing moist to your dry mouth.
However, it’s not just about chicken. Any veggie pizza will make a beautiful duo with this wine. A spinach-stuffed one, Dilly Veggie, pizza with grilled eggplants or cornbread, mozzarella and olives will get a new aftertaste with Pinot Gris. So, if you’re on a diet or want to try a new vegan recipe — try this white wine with pizza.
- Goes wonderfully with chicken;
- Suitable for vegetarian recipes;
- No heartburn.
- Not that great for meat pizzas.
Apothic Red Blend, 750 ml: the Best Wine to Drink with Pizza That Has Goat Cheese
Apothic Red Blend is a peculiar beast. It’s not an independent wine sort. It a mix of Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. An explosive blend, I gotta say.
Although I try wine blends rarely, Apothic turned out much better than I thought it would be. It strikes a subtle balance between sweet and dry. It’s not saccharine by any means. And it doesn’t turn your mouth into a Chihuahuan desert.
The very first gulp entertains you with a massive berry tonality. Blueberry tinge seems to be soloing though. It adds a nice finishing touch to the richness of the wine. As well as a refreshing vibe.
Maybe I was deceived by it flavor wealth, but I think I could also detect vanilla. And even a light presence of coffee. In any manner, I find Apothic to be a splendid choice if you’re looking for a special evening wine.
But which pizza can be paired with it? Well, here things get a bit paradoxical, I’d say. First, as a red blend, it’s a nice addition to meat. That means meatlovers, pepperoni and chicken pizzas, would benefit from this partnership.
If you’re a fan of seafood, you can serve a shrimp or tilapia pizza together with Apothic too. Maybe it doesn’t make a great companion for veggie pizzas. But anything fish/meat — even Canadian bacon pizza — gets a new taste with Apothic Red Blend.
- Affordable, but classy;
- Nice blends of wines;
- Great taste balance;
- Recyclable bottle.
- Not for vegetable pizzas.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, 750 ml: a Splendid White Wine with Pizza
Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing white wine that originated from the municipality of Bordeaux in France. The grape was brought to New Zealand in the 1970s, where it quickly became a flagship wine. Today, Sauvignon Blanc is grown all over the world and is loved for its crisp, clean flavor. Kin Crawford is a New Zealand winery that produces excellent Sauvignon Blanc. The Crawford family has been making wine for four generations, and their experience shows in every bottle
So, Sauvignon Blanc is a white and soft wine, it’s really intrusive and doesn’t offend your buds with a lasting aftertaste. It has a bit of sourness, but it’s not the one that puts a grumpy grimace on your face after the first sip.
In fact, Sauvignon Blanc goes smoothly down your throat. And an additional touch of Granny Smith apples and other island fruits create a nice, refreshing aroma. I actually like it when the wine is fresh and vivid. It kind of re-energizes you after a long day.
So, it’s best be served with a ‘light’ pizza. And you can’t really go wrong with a topping! Throw anything on: Parmesan, romaine lettuce, olives, parsley, chickpeas, mushrooms, pickled jalapeños.
You can also try an exotic pizza recipe with goat cheese. How about prosciutto, goat cheese, and caramelized onions to be the trio of your evening? If yes, then Sauvignon Blanc will be the absolute start of the show.
To sum up, I recommend this wine to all veggie pizza lovers. It cleanses the palette nicely. It elevates flavor of vegetables and cheese. And, of course, it’s great for wetting your throat.
- Vibrant taste and odor;
- Refreshing fruit notes;
- Not too pricey;
- Can be opened without a corkscrew.
- Mostly for veggie recipes.
Barefoot Pink Moscato 750 ml: Want Some Dessert Pizza?
Barefoot Pink Moscato is a rose dessert wine with a whole symphony of fruit flavors. Your taste will identify notes of cherry, nectarine, muscat, and mildly sweet strawberry.
It’s a refreshing wine that is usually served with desserts after the main course. So, what can you possibly do with this pink elixir?
Well, despite the fact that it’s a dessert wine, I think you can serve it with a ‘conventional’ pizza too. Why the heck not? First, the rosé wines were always a spot on choice for chicken pizzas. Second, you can always couple it with any vegetable/fruit pie and have a quality meal.
And, of course, no one can stop you from experimenting with a dessert pizza. I know it may sound very bizarre to you. So it did to me at first. But trust me: a dessert pizza can be a slice of heaven. How about Chocolate Reese’s pizza? Or maybe Caramel Apple?
No matter which one you’ll pick, Pink Moscato will complement it wonderfully. It’s refreshing, semi-sweet (but not syrupy). This wine’s taste, flavor, and aroma will remind you of the early days of May.
- Light, pleasant taste;
- Complements veggie, desert, and chicken pizzas;
- Californian sort;
- Refreshing fruit notes.
- Runs out too fast.
The Wine-Wine Situation
Now you know what wine pairs with pizza. Pay attention to the topping of your Sicilian pie and use it as your culinary compass.
If it’s vegetables — white wine would be adorable. For meat, salami, pepperoni — anything dry red. Rose wine is for desserts or chicken. And semi-sweet red wine can basically cover anything. It’s my personal taste; do you agree with me?
I post new stuff on pizza recipes and appliances non-stop. If you want to know how to cook Cheeseburger pizza, if you’d like to be sure whether red beer is better than ale to complement Kebab and Paneer pizza, and also which knives make the best slices — stay tuned.
So what is your personal #1 wine to go with pizza? Let us know in the comments!
