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Italian & takeout · Wine pairing

What wine goes with pizza?

Tomato sauce is acidic, so pizza needs a high-acid red: Chianti (Sangiovese), Barbera or a juicy Zinfandel for pepperoni.

The rule: Acidic sauce needs an acidic wine.

By Rate This Wine editors · Updated · How we rate

Pizza

Photo: Lombroso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The 3 best wines with pizza

  1. Sangiovese (Chianti)

    1 Sangiovese (Chianti) Medium-bodied red

    Chianti’s cherry and herbs were made for tomato sauce and oregano.

    Serve 60-64°F Chianti from $12; Brunello $50+

  2. Barbera

    2 Barbera Medium-bodied red

    Juicy, high-acid and soft: the everyday Italian pizza wine.

    Serve 58-62°F From $14

  3. Zinfandel

    3 Zinfandel Bold, fruity red

    Ripe and peppery for pepperoni, sausage and meat-lovers.

    Serve 60-65°F Good bottles $12-$30

Best on a budget: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or basic Chianti, under $12.

Also good

Grenache (Garnacha)RoséProseccoGamay (Beaujolais)

What to avoid

  • Expensive, tannic Cabernet. The sauce makes it taste harsh.

It depends how you cook it

If you’re having…Pour
MargheritaChianti, Barbera or a dry rosé.
PepperoniZinfandel or Primitivo.
White pizzaPinot Grigio or Chardonnay.
HawaiianOff-dry Riesling or rosé.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best wine for pepperoni pizza?

Zinfandel or Italian Primitivo: ripe fruit and spice handle the salty, spicy pepperoni.

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