Best Wine for Pizza
Updated July 19th 2023
The best wine for pizza depends on what kind of pizza you are going to eat! Pizza and wine are a match made in heaven. Pizza is as diverse as the styles of wine you can have it with. The best wine with pizza margherita might not be the same as the best wine for your pepperoni pizza. In fact, you can drink red, white and even sparkling wine with pizza.
Pizza and wine are perfect partners. Pizza is very versatile, with countless different topping options. For this reason, pizza and wine pairing is interesting. There are many different wine styles that pair well with pizza. Red is the most popular wine pairing and usual choice, but white, rosé and sparkling can create lovely pizza pairings. In this guide you will learn how to pair wine with pizza, including our pairing suggestions for the seven most popular pizzas.
General guidelines when pairing wine with pizza
A pizza traditionally consists of a thin, crispy dough with tomato sauce and melted cheese. Other than these base ingredients, numerous different toppings can be added. When pairing wine with pizza you must always take into consideration the basic ingredients of the dish. That is key to finding the best wine with pizza.
Choose a wine with high acidity
Wines with high acidity and moderate tannins are usually a good match with pizza. High acidity is key when finding a good wine for the pizza, because it balances the fat of the melted cheese. Also, tomatoes are naturally high in acidity which needs to be matched by the acidity in the wine. If the wine does not have enough acidity, it will taste flat and boring. Choose a wine with good freshness and enough acidity. Light or medium-bodied red wines with fruity and earthy flavors are usually the best wines with pizza.
Sangiovese with pizza is a classic pairing. Many people love a light-bodied Barbera or an earthy Pinot Noir with pizza.
Avoid very tannic wines
Regarding the tannins in the wine, try to avoid very tannic full-bodied wines. Lots of tannins, in combination with the delicate tomato sauce, can give a metallic taste and overwhelm the pizza flavors. That is the reason why many people prefer light or medium-bodied red wines with their pizza.
Tips! Lear more about tannins in wine in our guide!
Red or white wine depends on the toppings
In general, red wines are the best choice for pizza, but it depends on the toppings. Sparkling wine and pizza can make a great pairing. Champagne and other sparkling wines with high acidity are delicious with lighter pizzas. Even full-bodied white wines with high acidity, such as Chardonnay, are delicious with cheesy pizzas.
Pizza Margherita with Prosecco
Pizza Margherita is the most classic pizza. This simple pizza consists of only the basic ingredients: dough, tomato sauce and cheese. The best wine with Pizza Margherita is a light red wine, such as Barbera or Pinot Noir. If you like the combination of sparkling wine and pizza, try a Prosecco, a spritzy red Lambrusco or a Blanc de Noirs Champagne. The red fruit flavors in the wines go well with the tomato flavors. For the same reason, a dry rosé wine like Provence Rosé will also be a good choice for your Pizza Margherita.
Pepperoni Pizza with Syrah
Pepperoni Pizza is one of the most popular pizzas. For a pepperoni pizza wine pairing, it is important to remember that this is a spicy pizza which needs to be balanced with a spicy and meaty wine wine. This pizza needs a rich wine with intense flavors to balance the flavorful and spicy pepperoni. A Syrah, Grenache blend or Sangiovese are perfect wine parings for pepperoni pizza.
Tips! Learn more about how to pair Syrah with food in our guide Syrah Food Pairing.
White Pizza with Pinot Grigio
White pizzas are becoming increasingly popular. This style does not have any tomato sauce, only cheese. Therefore, the white pizza is best paired with a crisp white wine with high minerality. A Pinot Grigio or a Chablis are excellent wine choices for your white pizza.
Hawaiian Pizza with Riesling
Hawaiian is a sweet and sour pizza with pineapple and bacon toppings. A versatile wine like Riesling perfectly pairs with the sweetness, acidity and the tropical flavors of the Hawaiian Pizza. The sweetness of the wine will elevate the flavors of the pineapple and it will taste delicious.
Other wines that pair well with this pizza are Zinfandel, a red semi-sweet Lambrusco and Primitivo (commonly known as Zinfandel, called Primitivo when from Italy).
Meat Pizza with Sangiovese
Pizzas with lots of meat, charcuterie or sausages. For charcuterie wine pairing, it is important to think what kind of topping the pizza has. In general, meaty toppings like salami, prosciutto and bresoala need a full-bodied wine with good acidity. The classic wine pairing with prosciutto pizza is Sangiovese, but a Nero d’Avola and Pinotage hold up to the richness of the meaty pizza.
Mushroom Pizza with Pinot Noir
A mushroom pizza has lots of umami and earthy flavors. The best wine for this type of pizza is a Pinot Noir. The acidity, fruitiness and earthy flavours of the wine will balance, but not overwhelm the delicate mushroom flavors.
Tips! Our popular guide Pinot Noir Food Pairing will give you more suggestions on what to eat together with this popular red wine.
Veggie Pizza with Sauvignon Blanc
Pizza Vegetariana, often called Veggie pizza, can consist of all different types of vegetables, but usually onions, peppers, eggplant, mushrooms and olives. The best veggie pizza wine pairing is a crisp and herbaceous white wines or dry rosé wines. A Sauvignon Blanc is a good choice for your vegetarian pizza.
Enjoy your wine and pizza!
