Five Pizza And Wine Pairings That Take Pizza Night Up A Notch
Posted on: 30 December 2020
If you're like most people, you've had plenty of pizza delivery in recent months — and you'd welcome a chance to dress up this old favorite for a change of pace. Instead of cracking open a beer before you sit down to polish off a pizza, why not uncork a bottle of wine? Following are five pizza and wine pairings designed to take pizza night up a notch.
Pizza Primavera and Pinot Gris
Pizza primavera is simply a classic pizza topped with vegetarian options, such as roasted carrots and other root vegetables, along with items such as freshly sliced tomatoes and spinach. Pinot Gris is an uncomplicated wine with bright, fresh notes that provide an ideal foil for vegetarian dishes of any kind.
Smoked Salmon Pizza and Pinot Noir
Smoked salmon pizza started out as a trend several years ago, but quickly gained classic status because it's so widely enjoyed. Its flavor profile goes naturally with that of Pinot Noir, which is a light red wine with a strong enough taste to complement the smoky flavor of the salmon.
Pepperoni Pizza and Cabernet Franc
As one of the most classic forms of pizza, adults traditionally pair pepperoni with an ice-cold lager, but a nice glass of Cabernet Franc makes this common favorite into a special occasion meal. Crafted by melding cured beef and pork together, pepperoni has a high-fat content that benefits from being paired with a strong, intensely flavored wine — served ice-cold, of course.
Hawaiian Pizza and Riesling
Traditional Hawaiian pizza combines Canadian bacon with pineapple over a classic red pizza sauce. As a white wine, Riesling may seem an odd choice for pairing with any kind of bacon, but it works surprisingly well with both bacon and pineapple because its sweet notes complement both of these flavors. Like most white wines, Riesling also has a significant amount of acidity, which serves as a palate cleanser. Smoked meats such as bacon as well as other foods with complex flavors taste better when enjoyed with a palette cleansing beverage.
Salad Pizza and Sauvignon Blanc
One of the most recent pizza trends is called salad pizza. As its name implies, this pizza is covered with salad ingredients rather than classic pizza toppings such as pepperoni and Canadian bacon. Popular ingredients for salad pizza include spinach, arugula, roasted broccoli, and tomatoes finished off with a drizzle of a tart vinaigrette. Sauvignon Blanc has tangy, green notes that complement this type of pizza very well.
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