Great Wines for Pizza Night

It used to be that when you placed an order for your favorite pizza pie you would then double-check the fridge to make sure you also had some beer. However, times have changed. Wine is now an accepted beverage to accompany pizza, and when chosen carefully, will complement the cheesy pie nicely. 

Regardless of your pizza preference, don't spend more on your wine than you would on your pizza. A bargain wine would be the wine of choice for your next pizza night. Whether you are a traditionalist and favor cheese and pepperoni or go for something a bit different like a white pizza, there are different wines for each type of topping. Here are some suggestions for which wines to pair with which kind of pizza. 

Wines With Pepperoni and Cheese Pizzas

Take your "typical" pizza—tomato sauce, lots of mozzarella cheese topped with plenty of pepperonis, and a traditional thin crust. Wines that would work well with this order would need lower acid levels since the tomato sauce will contribute plenty of acid on its own, and should carry fruit very forward to conquer the sugar/acid combination of the tomato. Key wines to consider here would be a medium-bodied Syrah or Shiraz, an Italian Chianti, a medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, or a California Zinfandel.

Wines With Meat Lover's Pizza

We all know a grilled steak and juicy hamburger goes great with a full-bodied red wine, so why not a meat-topped pizza? A pizza that is chock-full of hamburger, sausage, pepperoni and more deserves a wine with some heft. So go for heartier red wines like a Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or Merlot to handle the meat mega dose. The tannins in the red wines match well with the fattiness of the red meat—red wine alone can make your mouth feel dry while the fatty meat creates a sort of slippery sensation. Combining the two cancels each other out.

Wines With Veggie Pizza

When it comes to veggie pizza with plenty of peppers, olives, onions, and mushrooms, you can't go wrong with a cool, crisp Sauvignon Blanc with plenty of bright acidities to take care of the variety of veggies. A dry rose wine would also perform well with all of the competing components of flavor. 

Wine With the White Pizza

If you opt for the enigmatic white pizza from time to time, totally devoid of the tomato sauce, then your wine options expand even more. Because white pizzas are generally lighter and less acidic than pizza with sauce, a crisp white wine—or even something with a bit of effervescence—will pair nicely. A bubbly Champagne, a Pinot Grigio, or an earthy Sauvignon Blanc would all hold up well to the lighter style of the white pizza flavor combinations.

Wine With Hawaiian Pizza

If you are a fan of this sweet and salty combination, a versatile white wine is the way to go. Ham and pineapple covered in cheese pairs very nicely with a Riesling, which has its own combination of sweet and acid, with aromas of tropical fruits (perfect!), flowers, and minerals.