The Local: Winter Garden—May 2022

Pairing Pizzazz: A few proposals for pair your wine and pizza perfectly.

Tarin Scarbrough / Photos by Fred Lopez

I’m often asked the question, “What wine should I drink?” An incredibly vague question, but a good one. My reply is usually an equally vague, equally good followup question. “Well … what are you eating?”

Wine pairings seem intimidating at first, but if you break down your dish and highlight the ingredients, you’ll find that it’s incredibly easy.

Wine should be doing one of two things when paired with food: complementing a flavor or cutting through it. Sometimes you find a wine that can do both! To demonstrate, I decided to take one of the most basic dinner items that is abundantly available wherever you go—pizza!

Basic concept: dough, red sauce, cheese. Simple enough. But what makes each pizza unique is the toppings, which, when pairing wine, is what you need to focus on. I’ve broken down a few pizza styles to help you achieve the perfect combination for each bite.

Pepperoni and/or Sausage: Syrah, Zinfandel, Sangiovese

When you start adding spicier proteins, this opens up a world of new flavor. Because of the high fat content, the spices in the meat seep into every ounce of cheese, so you need a wine that can keep up with cayenne, anise, or fennel! Syrah and Zinfandel both have spicier characteristics that will complement those seasonings, and Sangiovese is bold enough to counteract the heaviness of the meat.

Veggie: Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Chianti

This is validation for any white wine drinker. Look for “green” wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Gruner Veltliner, which tastes like arugula and black pepper, especially if it’s a pizza topped with vinaigrette-dressed leafy greens. They add to the vegetal flavor, but are bright enough to cut through each bite. If you prefer red, Chiantis have an earthy, olive quality to me, which complements a “supreme” style exceptionally.

Hawaiian: Riesling, Zinfandel, Lambrusco

The wild card of all pizzas. Say what you will, but it’s a foodie’s dream to pair this with wine. While ham and pineapple is the standard, I was introduced by a friend to anchovies and pineapple and it is now a staple when I order pizza. Another wine that will cut through and complement at the same time, Riesling acts as a palate cleanser because of its acidity, but the sweetness will elevate the sugar in the pineapple. If you want to go red, pick something with more of a jammier note, like Zinfandel or a semi-sweet Lambrusco.

White Pizza: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Rose

One of my favorite styles, we omit the tomato sauce and opt for a creamy, rich cheese base instead. While a chardonnay will complement the decadence of the cheese, a pinot noir uses its acidity to cut through the density. A wine that can do both, sparkling rose, has both the crispness and the acidity to mimic what tomato sauce does in a traditional pie. Also, a slice of Bianca that won’t quit in one hand with a champagne flute in the other just feels classy.

Cheese Pizza: GSM, Pinot Noir, Chianti

Cheese pizza is the quintessential experience. Make the sauce your focal point, as the tomato has acidity and richness you want to highlight. A light to medium bodied wine will complement but not take over, and have just enough acidity to cut through the richness of the cheese.