What is the best wine with pizza?

There is no single best bottle. Match the sauce and the toppings. A typical tomato or pepperoni pizza wants an acidic red such as Chianti, Barbera, or Sangiovese, or a dry Lambrusco. White pizza wants a lighter white such as Pinot Grigio or Vermentino. Bubbles help whenever the pie is greasy.

Should you drink red or white wine with pizza?

Red wine with tomato sauce and meat. White wine with white pizza, seafood, and lighter vegetable pies. The sauce matters more than the crust. A bright Italian red covers most delivery pizzas. A crisp white covers pizza bianca.

What wine goes with pepperoni pizza?

A fruity, medium-bodied red: Zinfandel, Primitivo, Chianti, Barbera, or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. The fruit stands up to the spice and the fat. Dry Lambrusco is the sparkling option. A tannic Cabernet is a poor match, because the tannin clashes with the tomato and the chilli.

What wine goes with margherita pizza?

Chianti, Sangiovese, or Barbera. Margherita is tomato, mozzarella, and basil, so the wine needs acid to match the sauce and enough freshness to respect the cheese. A light Pinot Grigio also works if you want white. Keep the wine as simple as the pizza.

Does sparkling wine go with pizza?

Yes. Bubbles cut grease and cheese. Dry Lambrusco, a red sparkling wine from Emilia-Romagna, is the traditional pizza match, especially with tomato and pepperoni. Prosecco or another dry sparkling wine suits white pizza and cheese-heavy pies. Sweet sparkling wine is the wrong direction, because pizza is savoury.

Wine with pizza

Wine with Pizza: Pairings That Actually Work

Match sauce weight and toppings — acidic reds with tomato, lighter whites with white pizza, and bubbles to cut grease.

By topping

Four pizza styles, four wines

The sauce and the toppings decide the bottle. Tomato, meat, white pizza, and vegetables are different foods, so they want different wines.

Tomato sauce

Tomato is acidic. Meet it with an acidic red — Chianti, Sangiovese, or Barbera — so the wine does not taste flat. A dry Lambrusco works when you want bubbles with the same acid.

Pepperoni, sausage, and other meat

Fat and spice need fruit and a bit of body. Zinfandel, Primitivo, Montepulciano, and Chianti handle pepperoni and sausage. A huge, tannic Cabernet fights the tomato and the heat.

White pizza

No tomato means no need for a red. Ricotta, garlic, and olive oil want a lighter white with acid: Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, Greco di Tufo, or Prosecco. The acid cuts the cheese.

Vegetable and mushroom

Mushrooms like an earthy, lighter red such as Pinot Noir. Roasted peppers and onions can take Chianti. A dry rosé or Sauvignon Blanc fits a lighter vegetable pie that is not rich with cheese.

Pairing table

Wine by pizza style

Use the style of the pie, not a single rule for every pizza. The bands run from tomato sauce to white pizza.

Tomato
Chianti, Barbera, Sangiovese, dry Lambrusco
Meat
Zinfandel, Primitivo, Montepulciano, Chianti
White
Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, Greco di Tufo, Prosecco
Vegetable
Pinot Noir, Chianti, dry rosé, Sauvignon Blanc

These are starting points. A margherita with extra mozzarella is richer than a plain one, and a spicy pepperoni pie needs more fruit in the wine than a mild one.

Red, white, or bubbles

Which colour actually works

Red is the default for tomato and meat. White is the default for white pizza. Sparkling wine is the one that cuts grease on almost any pie.

Red wine

Choose a bright, medium-bodied red with acid for tomato sauce and pepperoni: Chianti, Barbera, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, or Montepulciano. Skip a young, high-tannin Cabernet. Tannin clashes with tomato acid and with chilli heat.

White wine

White wine is the match for white pizza, seafood pizza, and lighter vegetable pies. Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, and unoaked Italian whites have the acid to cut ricotta and olive oil. A heavy oaked Chardonnay usually feels clumsy here.

Sparkling wine

Bubbles scrub fat and cheese. Dry Lambrusco is the classic pizza sparkling red, especially with tomato and pepperoni. Prosecco or a dry brut sparkling wine suits cheese-heavy and white pizzas.

Four pies

A pizza and a glass

Four pizzas people actually order, and a wine that fits each one.

Pizza	Wine
Margherita	Chianti, Sangiovese, or Barbera
Pepperoni	Zinfandel, Primitivo, or dry Lambrusco
White pizza	Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, or Prosecco
Mushroom or vegetable	Pinot Noir, Chianti, or dry rosé

If the table orders mixed pizzas, open a dry Lambrusco or a Chianti. Both cover tomato pies, and the bubbles also handle a cheesy slice.

Related guides

Cheese, pairing, and the tool

Cheese is on almost every pizza. These guides cover the cheese board, any dish, and how Gastrona scores a match.

A pizza with its own guide

Mushroom pizza is a different match from a plain tomato pie. This recipe shows the wine next to the dish.

Explorer plus

Approfondissez les accords

Découvrez la logique de l'application, rencontrez Sophia et parcourez les guides d'accords du journal.

FAQ

Wine and pizza questions

What is the best wine with pizza?: There is no single best bottle. Match the sauce and the toppings. A typical tomato or pepperoni pizza wants an acidic red such as Chianti, Barbera, or Sangiovese, or a dry Lambrusco. White pizza wants a lighter white such as Pinot Grigio or Vermentino. Bubbles help whenever the pie is greasy.
Should you drink red or white wine with pizza?: Red wine with tomato sauce and meat. White wine with white pizza, seafood, and lighter vegetable pies. The sauce matters more than the crust. A bright Italian red covers most delivery pizzas. A crisp white covers pizza bianca.
What wine goes with pepperoni pizza?: A fruity, medium-bodied red: Zinfandel, Primitivo, Chianti, Barbera, or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. The fruit stands up to the spice and the fat. Dry Lambrusco is the sparkling option. A tannic Cabernet is a poor match, because the tannin clashes with the tomato and the chilli.
What wine goes with margherita pizza?: Chianti, Sangiovese, or Barbera. Margherita is tomato, mozzarella, and basil, so the wine needs acid to match the sauce and enough freshness to respect the cheese. A light Pinot Grigio also works if you want white. Keep the wine as simple as the pizza.
Does sparkling wine go with pizza?: Yes. Bubbles cut grease and cheese. Dry Lambrusco, a red sparkling wine from Emilia-Romagna, is the traditional pizza match, especially with tomato and pepperoni. Prosecco or another dry sparkling wine suits white pizza and cheese-heavy pies. Sweet sparkling wine is the wrong direction, because pizza is savoury.

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