Best Wine With Pizza

One of the most versatile comfort foods, you might be surprised to find that wine pairs excellently with pizza. 

Whether you’re dining on authentic Margherita pizza in an Italian restaurant or ordering your favorite Friday night takeout, there’s a perfect wine for every slice. 

Here are some of the best wines to pair with your favorite cheesy indulgence.

Cheese Pizza 

An easy classic loved by just about every pizza enthusiast, you can instantly elevate cheese pizza by matching it with its perfect wine pair. The trick with this type of pie is to complement the sweetness and herbaceousness of the tomato sauce while cutting through the mozzarella cheese. Because there are no toppings on cheese pizza, it goes well with an array of white wines and red wines. 

Elegant table wines like Chianti and Pinot Noir are an excellent complement to the tomato sauce and cheese, with juicy red fruit flavors and standout acidity. You can also try a classy French GSM blend (a combination of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre), a peppery red wine with ripe, tangy flavors and a hint of spice. This wine is also a perfect pair for greasy New York-style pizza, as it will cut through the oils while letting that classic sauce shine.

For white wine, try an herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc.

Pepperoni Pizza

Another classic (and party favorite), pepperoni pizza is built to stand up to robust red wines. The peppery, salty flavors of pepperoni won’t overpower Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. These are some of the best red wines with pizza topped with meat. 

You can also try smooth Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, both of which are an excellent match for barbecue meats. Barbecue chicken pizza, anyone?

White Pizza

Creamy white pizza combines herbaceous alfredo sauce with decadent cheese, a tasty alternative to classic red sauce pizza. This pizza perfectly matches creamy, oak-aged Chardonnay, which has the textures and acidity ideal for taking on fatty, cream-based dishes. 

If this choice is too heavy for you, Pinot Grigio, Rosé, and Prosecco are light enough in herb, fruit, and floral flavors with plenty of acidity for balance. 

If you’re still craving red wine with your white sauce pizza, Pinot Noir has plenty of earthy notes to complement those spices without overpowering the white sauce. 

Margherita Pizza

Topped with fresh basil and tomato, the vote is pretty much unanimous that a dry Rosé is the best wine pairing for Margherita pizza. It elegantly brightens the fresh elements of the pie without overpowering those delicate toppings. Pinot Grigio is a great white wine choice for this type of pizza as it is equally refreshing as Rosé.

Hawaiian Pizza

A pie bursting with tropical sweetness, we’ve decided that Riesling is the best way to go. This wine contains sweet stone fruit, honeysuckle notes, and pineapple, so nothing could be a better match! The undertones of minerals, along with those sweeter notes, will bring out the best in Hawaiian pizza’s sweet and salty combination.

If you’d like a similar wine without so much sweetness, Viognier is another perfect complement to Hawaiian pizza. For red wine, a fruity Lambrusco, Zinfandel, or Primitivo will smooth out the salty ham while bringing out those sweet and fruity flavors. 

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

If you love a thicker pie like the famous Chicago deep dish pizza, plummy medium-bodied red wines like a mellow Cabernet Sauvignon or classic Chianti. A juicy and peppery Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Syrah, or GSM blend can handle all the toppings of the cheesy, doughy pie. Because of its richness, these delectable red wines will be your best bet for deep-dish pizza.

Mushroom Pizza

The best match for mushroom pizza is a wine with plenty of mushroom and forest floor undertones, and that’s Pinot Noir. It won’t overpower the fungi or delicate herbs and tomato sauce. You can also pair this pizza with Beaujolais, which is just as herbaceous, dry, and acidic with violet aromas and crushed blackberry notes.  

If you favor white wine, a medium-bodied Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, or Sauvignon Blanc will pair well with mushroom pizza. 

Veggie Pizza

For a vegetable lover’s pizza, think bright and white. Those crisp veggie toppings like green bell pepper, olive, artichoke, and onion will complement tangy Chardonnay and herbaceous New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, famous for its grassy and bell pepper notes. 

A dry, sparkling wine like fizzy Rosé or Prosecco will also be a refreshing and elegant match for veggie pizza. 

Meat Lover’s Pizza

Finally, we have our heartiest pizza on the list, meat lover’s pizza. Topped with salty skillet bacon, rich sausage, and crisp Canadian bacon, this is the pizza for a full-bodied wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Malbec, and Zinfandel have juicy textures to balance the saltiness of the meat effortlessly.

Fruit-forward, peppery and jammy wine will bring out those sweet and savory barbecue flavors with every bite. 

What Wine Goes Best With Pizza?

The next time you’re wondering about the best wine to pair with pizza, classic red table wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chianti are an easy choice when chowing town on red sauce pizza. White pizza tastes excellent with herbaceous Pinot Noir or creamy Chardonnay and Rosé.

Still can’t decide what wine goes with pizza? Check out Macy’s Wine Shop for prolific selections of sparkling, red, white, Rosé, dessert, and more.

For more wine pairings and recipes, see our Wine Shop Blog for everything you need!

Get ready for your next pizza night with Macy’s Wine!