Perfect pizza and wine pairings make you forget about beer

Time to pop open a bottle of wine. Perfect pizza and wine pairings will have you quickly forgetting about that frosty mug of beer.

Pizza is almost its own food group. Finding wine pairings that match your favorite pizza can make you experience pizza in a whole new light. Forget that slice and bottle of beer. These pizza and wine pairings will have you eating pizza every night and popping a new wine bottle to experience the perfect pairings.

Finding the right wine to pair with a pizza isn’t necessarily a difficult experience. Just like wine pairings with other foods, the wine should bring out the flavors in the pizza and in the wine itself. Some flavors balance each other for the perfect combination.

While these wine pairings are just a suggestion, everyone should let their flavor preferences guide their decisions. Just because this list highlights a jammy pinot noir or a buttery Chardonnay, doesn’t mean that you have to agree with these suggestions. Feel free to share your own favorite pairings.
(Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Hamptons Magazine)

Margarita Pizza

A good margarita pizza has the right blend of fresh basil and flavorful tomatoes. The herb and tomato combination needs a wine that is refreshing yet doesn’t overpower the herbs. Hampton Water Wine, the rosé from Jon Bon Jovi, Jesse Bongiovi and Gérard Bertrand is the perfect pairing to the simple, yet classic pizza.

Hampton Water has some strawberry notes in the refreshing rosé. A blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre grapes, this wine is quite refreshing yet bold enough to stand up to the basil in a margarita pizza. Better makes sure that you have two pizzas and two bottles to celebrate rosé all day.

Classic Cheese Pizza

A classic cheese pizza is iconic for a reason. When the warm melted cheese meets the flavorful sauce, you won’t even miss any other topping. A slightly jammy pinot noir can balance the richness of the melted cheese. One great option is the San Simeon Pinot Noir. This wine has a lot of bright fruit flavors with hints of cinnamon and oak spice. Bite, sip and repeat. Just make sure that you have both enough pizza and wine to share.

Classic Pepperoni Pizza

Pepperoni pizza is always a favorite pizza for young, old, foodies and traditionalists. Pepperoni, the American version of salami, often is slightly salty and usually faintly smoky. The bolder flavor needs a bigger wine to stand up to the pepperoni flavors. A complex, tannin forward cabernet sauvignon, like the San Simeon Cabernet Sauvignon is a smart choice. This wine has dark raspberry and black cherry flavors that plays off the smoke in the pepperoni. Pour yourself a glass and slowly sip with each bite.

Pesto Pizza

A pesto pizza is a lighter, non-tomato sauce pizza. The herb forward sauce needs a wine that is fruit forward to balance the pesto. A bubbly wine, like the Stella Rose Imperial Prosecco is a fruity, light wine that can balance a pesto. With flavors of apple, pear and even a touch of lemon, the brightness can cut through the garlic in the pesto. Plus, who doesn’t love a great glass of bubbles?

Veggie Pizza

Sometimes the easiest way to get another serving of vegetables is to put them on top of a pizza. Whether you like peppers, mushrooms over even a little spinach, why sip on water when a glass of wine can be more refreshing?

Often vegetables on a pizza are roasted. Those flavors pair well with an oaky chardonnay, like the San Simeon Chardonnay. This wine has some fruity flavors that highlight the oak without it becoming too overpowering. It is complex but not overdone. Overall, it is a lovely wine pairing for a veggie pizza.

Hawaiian Pizza

Hawaiian pizza can be a controversial pizza choice. For those people who enjoy a little fruit on their pizza, a tropical flavor wine is a great choice. The Stella Rosa Tropical Mango has both mango and passion fruit flavors that balance the tartness of the pineapple and the saltiness of the Canadian Bacon. Who’s ready for a trip to the tropics?

Meatlovers Pizza

Meatlovers pizza is the boldest, most filling pizza. With all types of meat piled high on a slice, this type of pizza needs a robust wine to stand up to all the flavors. The Stella Rosa Black is a complex, semi-sweet wine that has a burst of bubbles. The semi-sparkling wine has lots of berry flavors which play off the salty flavors from all the meat. While not necessarily the most obvious pizza and wine pairing, this combination is definitely one that impresses.

Next: Ice cream and wine are a perfect pairing

Whether it is pizza night or just a leisurely afternoon snack, pizza and wine pairings will have you forgetting about that frosty, cold mug of beer.

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