Combination of Pizza and Wine. Seeing is believing!

 

Have you ever thought of pairing wine with pizza? Probably not.
In fact, it is customary to think of the traditional combination pizza-coca cola or pizza-beer. We want to open a small parenthesis, regarding the latter. If you are reading this article out of simple curiosity, but you are among the traditionalists who only sip beer together with pizza, we offer you a vast assortment for all tastes and budgets. Discover the over 150 beers available.

But now back to wine, we can assure you that even in this case our proposals will not disappoint you. The pizza-wine combination is possible, so much so that the right glass can even enhance the taste of pizza. There are many combinations, but some general rules and the type of seasoning present must be followed.

First of all it is good to divide the pizzas and consequently the wine into two categories: white pizzas will be paired with wines with greater acidity, to counteract the fat of dairy products and therefore these will be whites and bubbles. Otherwise, with red pizzas, delicate tannins can harmonize with the acidity of the tomato, and therefore particularly tannic wines, such as Pinot Nero, Lambrusco, Schiava or Bardolino, are not suitable.

White-based pizzas, therefore without the use of tomatoes, are certainly easier to combine, since the predominant flavors will certainly be attributable mainly to dairy products, mozzarella and cheeses, and therefore we are talking about fatness and tastes tending to sweet. White and sparkling wines with greater acidity, freshness and aromatic intensity, will be able to balance the fatness of the ingredients and "clean" the palate.

The red-based pizzas, as we know, have tomatoes as their main ingredient, and therefore an acidic and fresh component. This will certainly not be emphasized, as happens for white-based pizza, but neither should it be masked with excessively tannic drinks.

Furthermore, we can say that pizzas with more delicate toppings go better with younger wines and not too complex aromas; while pizzas with an "important" filling lend themselves to being paired with aged wines, structured and with complex aromas.

Going into the specifics, we indicate below our suggestions.
For the classic Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and fragrant basil leaves, we recommend a Sauvignon Terre Magre - Piera Martellozzo, a wine with vegetal aromas that blend well with the aromas of basil.

With an Ortolana pizza, garnished with vegetables, we recommend the volcanic Etna Rosato - Donnafugata, or alternatively a fresh white wine with bubbles such as Franciacorta Satén - The Views.

For a pizza with buffalo mozzarella or 4 cheeses, a Vermentino Blu Di Mare - Poggio dei Gorleri, a Verdicchio of the Castles of Jesi - Sartarelli or one Ribolla Gialla Collio - Vigna del Lauro, are certainly the wines that are best suited to contrast the structured and fatty taste of dairy products.

A pizza rich in ingredients such as capricciosa needs a structured wine that counteracts it with a fresh acidity and a well-marked aromatic intensity. We suggest the Refosco Penducolo Rosso - Paladin or a Valpolicella Ripasso - Cà Rugate.

For lovers of pizza with anchovies, the excessive flavor of anchovies and capers can be well supported by the Greco di Tufo - Cellar of the Monks, the structure of the wine will integrate with the flavor of the ingredients without introducing excessive extraneous notes that can take over the taste of the pizza. Also not to be underestimated is the combination with a Fiano di Avellino- Rocca dei Principi or a Etna Bianco Superiore - Filippo Grasso or a Morabianca Falanghina Irpinia - Mastroberardino.

If you love pizza with mushrooms, savor it with a glass of Chianti Classico Riserva - Villa Antinori to enhance the aromas and flavors. 

Now you just have to order a good pizza .. and try!

Cheers!

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