The Best Non-Italian Wine Pairing Ideas for Pizza

As part of my summer food and wine pairing series on Instagram, I am sharing some of my favorite summer dishes and the best wine pairings for these dishes. This week, I chatted about one of my favorite summer dishes: Homemade pizza!

Honestly, pizza is a year-round dish in my house, but in the summer I like to focus on light, simple, veggie-focused pies.

But what to pair these with?!

If you're looking for an easy answer, it's ALWAYS Italian red varietals: Sangiovese, Barbera, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Valpolicella Ripasso, the list goes on! The saying "What grows together goes together" really is true.

BUT, if you're looking to branch out from Italian wines next time you fire up the pizza oven, or order takeout, here would be my 'za picks…

Wine Pairing Ideas for Pizza

(That Aren’t Italian Wines)

Margherita pizza: Something simple like Rosé, or an acidic and fruity medium-bodied red wine like a Grenache to compliment the tomato base and cheese.

Meat pizza like Pepperoni or Sausage: Cab Franc to play nicely with the herbs and spices in the meat. The moderate tannins of this wine too will also cut nicely through the fat!

White pizzas or veggie pizzas: Simple and earthy wines like a Pinot Noir.

Bbq chicken pizza: A flavorful and fruity Syrah or Malbec.

Hawaiian Pizza: To be honest, I only like Hawaiian za if it has spicy pepperoni and some pepperoncinis or jalapeños on it to give it a kick. So for this, I would go Riesling to balance out the spice.

Now your turn: What is your favorite pizza wine (Italian or non-Italian)? Let me know by hitting REPLY.

And, if you want to learn more about the fundamentals of food & wine pairing, don't miss out on my Wine Pairing 101 Mini Course!

Happy drinking!