The type of drink you choose could improve your entire meal.
Pizza night is always a great evening to spend with those you care about or to relax at home alone with your favorite movie. Having the right wine can make that pizza even better. If you choose a random drink with no reason, it can actually negatively affect the entire meal. Here are a few recommendations of choices to make based on the style of pizza you’re having.
Basic Toppings
If you’re going for a simple pizza, like pepperoni and cheese, then consider a wine that has a lower acidity. The tomato sauce is going to have plenty of that on its own. For a good counterbalance, a great option would be a California Zinfadel or Italian Chianti. The latter would pair even better if it went with a blend of cheese on the pizza.
Supreme
Now, if you’re on the other end of the extreme and prefer a pie that has everything except the kitchen sink, then you may need a wine that has more of a grassy aroma and taste to it. A white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc has a refreshing crisp taste to it due to its low sugar and high acidity. This also provides an increased intensity of taste if your pizza has special cheeses on it like goat or feta cheese.
Meat Lovers
For the top choice of what to have with a meat lover’s pizza, all you have to do is look at what people have with burgers or steak. That choice more often than not, is red wine. A heartier option would be with the proteins that make up the toppings like Italian sausage, bacon, Canadian bacon, and pepperoni of course. The meats can make your mouth feel slippery while the wine would provide a dry mouth feeling if you were to drink it on its own. The two go together to provide a nice balance, and going with a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot will provide a nice balance. You will be glad you did.
Hawaiian Pizza
We will leave the debate about pineapples on pizzas for another time. The topic of discussion now is what you should have to drink with it should you choose to go Hawaiian. Prosecco is a sparkling wine that would provide great company for your meal. Brut is the most popular level of sweetness, but don’t be afraid to try the dry version if that’s your preference. Riesling is another suitable choice if you want an alternative. It will amplify the pineapple while counteracting the saltiness of the ham.
Conclusion
For many people, pizza and wine go together like peanut butter and jelly. There are other combinations of toppings you can have on your pizza, but the bases here are covered. You should be able to determine what type of wine goes well with your pizza if you have different combinations of toppings that are included here.