Pizza Wine Doesn’t Exist

But there is plenty of beautiful wine to go with pizza

The average Italian drinks beer with their pizza. Preferably Italian beer, too. Not a bad choice, because beer is refreshing and pairs easily with the basic flavors. The richness of cheese and the acidity of tomato can sometimes clash with wine. But since Italian hopped liquid is hardly available in the Netherlands and beer and I aren’t friends anyway, I’d still prefer wine. But what actually goes with this former poor man’s food?

Common denominator

In short: the ideal pizza wine does not exist. Pizzas are quite different. And so are the glasses accompanying them. The only common denominator is the large round base, on which even tomato sauce is no longer a given. Fortunately, the exuberant American style – read: lots of fat and sogginess – is disappearing more and more. The authentic Neapolitan wood-fired oven has also made its entrance here. And such a crispy, wood-fired pizza naturally deserves the right match. In that case, it isn’t the crust but the topping that determines the choice of wine!

If your pizza contains a relatively large amount of tomato, you need to take the acidity into account. If salami is involved and you want red wine, choose a wine based on the Italian Sangiovese grape. Alongside violets and spiciness on the nose, these wines often have flavors of ripe cherries, pleasant tannins and a juicy acidity that connects seamlessly with the tomato. Think of a young Chianti, a Rosso di Montalcino or a lightly chilled Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. A Dolcetto from Piedmont could also be a lovely match.

When even King Umberto I had pizzas delivered to their country residence in Naples for his wife in 1889, the local specialty definitively gained a different status.

Light or bold

If you prefer a light white wine, choose a ‘light’ pizza as well. With toppings such as Parma ham, olives, anchovies or fruits de mer, a subtle sparkling wine is delicious, for example. Keep it Italian and choose a prosecco. With vegetarian pizzas featuring vegetables (such as spinach) and drier cheese (such as goat’s cheese), white wine is always the better choice. An Italian Pinot Grigio is an obvious option here. But French Pinot Blanc, Austrian Grüner Veltliner, Spanish Verdejo, German Riesling and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc also feel right at home. All wines with plenty of aroma, yet dry and pleasantly fresh. With the bolder pizza – featuring lots of herbs, mushrooms, cheese and/or rich sausage – preferably pour a full-bodied red. After all, you pair with whatever determines the flavor, and here the substantial toppings have more than defeated both the tomato sauce and the crust.

Worldwide favorite

And finally, a few words about the queen of pizzas. The Etruscans and Greeks probably made similar flatbreads, but Neapolitans really do regard pizza as their specialty. For centuries, it was an inexpensive and nourishing dish for laborers. But when even King Umberto I had pizzas delivered to their country residence in Naples for his wife in 1889, the local specialty definitively gained a different status.

The queen’s favorite pizza was made in the colors of the Italian flag: with basil, mozzarella and tomato. As a tribute, the Neapolitan pizzaiolo named his combination after her. And to this day, this pizza margherita remains the worldwide favorite. The fragrant simplicity of this subtle yet spicy pizza is perfectly suited to a fragrant rosé. Perhaps a Sicilian one made from the Nero d’Avola grape, or otherwise one from Provence. But a lightly chilled, fruity Beaujolais is also like a crown on the pizzaiolo’s work.

And if you still prefer beer, at least try the Italian Peroni Azzurro. Simply available in the Netherlands, and it keeps things at least somewhat in style.

Text: Romy Kooij – Miss WineLane
Image: Shutterstock