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We firmly believe that good pizza deserves good wine, and great pizza deserves even better wine. Sometimes all you want for dinner is a nice simple pizza but just because you’re not having a gourmet meal doesn’t mean you can’t pair pizza with an amazing wine. Let’s be honest if we saved all the “good” wine in our cellars for standout meals or special occasions, the majority of it would never be opened.
We suggest you make any night of the week a special occasion, even if pizza is on the menu, by opening an impressive bottle of wine. There’s a bit of a balancing act that goes on here; the wine should have enough acidity and freshness to hold up to tomato sauce in addition to medium to strong tannins that will cut through fatty cheese. Cabernet Sauvignon is a good choice, but if you’ve added spicy ingredients like pepperoni or sausage look for wines with softer tannins such as those made from Sangiovese and Malbec. And let’s not forget white and cheese-based pizzas; these pair well with fuller-bodied white wine such as white Burgundy or Chardonnay from Margaret River, Australia.
Pizza for dinner doesn’t always have to be a takeout affair. Many of us have specialized pizza ovens or ranges with a powerful broiler that can sublimely crisp a thin crust while expertly adding a touch of brown to melted mozzarella. Quality ingredients are easier to find these days too, for example, our local grocery store carries 00 Italian flour, Italian pizza yeast, San Marzano tomatoes, and a variety of quality cheeses from Italy. Just because pizza is a quintessential Italian dish, we don’t have to only match it with Italian wines. We like to think outside of the pizza box and are constantly looking to regions other than Italy for wines that will pair perfectly with your next pizza.
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Margherita Pizza: Altesino 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli Montalcino Tuscany
Palazzo Altesi was built in the 1400s by the Tricerchi family and today it is owned by the Gnudi Angelini family. Altesino is said to be one of the first to use the concept of “cru” in 1975 in Tuscan winemaking and they were among the first to use smaller French-style oak barrels starting in 1979. Their wines are always highly sought after and are generally an excellent example of the finest Brunello di Montalcinos. The 2020 is lighter in color than previous years and has aromas and flavors of red cherry, forest floor, and black raspberry. Tannins are slightly grippy right now but will mellow out over time, but we think they stand up perfectly to the bright acid that characterizes the fresh tomato sauce of Margherita pizza.
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Quattro Formaggi Pizza: Bouchard Pere & Fils 2022 Meursault Les Clous Cote de Beaune Burgundy
Founder Joseph Bouchard started his multigenerational legacy by purchasing vineyards in 1775 and in 1820 Bernard Bouchard acquired the stunning and beautiful Château de Beaune originally built by King Louis XI in the 15th century. Their wines are well known worldwide and have lived up to their reputation for centuries. The 2022 Meursault is straw colored with a touch of matchstick on the initial bouquet. It then opens up with aromas of candied orange peel, freshly cut ginger, and mandarin blossoms that lead to flavors of lemon curd, lemon meringue pie, and crème caramel. This wine has a substantial creaminess and voluptuousness to the body, which makes it a perfect match for the creaminess of the four cheeses used to make quattro formaggi pizza.
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New York-Style Pizza: Castello Romitorio 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta Montalcino Tuscany
We have visited Castello Romitorio a few times and are always amazed to be reminded that it was originally a temple that became a monastery in the 1100s, which was then repurposed as a castle for a few hundred years. Artist Sandro Chia restored it in the 1980s and created a winery with the collaboration of winemaker Franco Martini. Castello Romitorio 2020 has aromas of cherry cola, garrigue, and red plum with bright acidity and flavors of dried cherry, black raspberry, and a hint of dried oregano in the finish. We paired this delightful wine with Brooklyn style thin crust pizza because most New York slice joints add dried oregano and dried basil to their pizza sauce giving it an herbaceous quality that matches the dried herb characteristics in the wine.
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New Haven Clam Pie: Leeuwin Estate 2020 Art Series Chardonnay Margaret River Western Australia
Leeuwin Estate has a bit of common history with Napa Valley because in 1972 Robert Mondavi identified a Margaret River cattle pasture as the future site of Denis and Tricia Horgan’s winery. The Horgans planted in 1975 and released their first commercial wines just four years later. Their 1981 Chardonnay was recognized as a “highly recommended wine” by Decanter soon thereafter and the family has consistently garnered high scores from numerous publications. The 2020 Art Series Chardonnay is straw colored in the glass with aromas of lemon zest, honeysuckle blossom, and orange flower that transfer seamlessly to the palate with flavors of lemon lime, white flowers, and lemon curd. It is the perfect match to New Haven clam pizza’s steamed clams, olive oil, garlic, oregano, and grated Pecorino cheese and since this is a tomato-free pie the wine doesn’t have to compete with the usual acidity of pizza sauce.
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Detroit-Style Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza: Dominus 2021 Napanook Vineyard Yountville Napa Valley
Dominus founder Christian Moueix discovered the historic Napanook vineyard in 1981, and after a decade-plus partnership deal he acquired full ownership in 1995. The name Dominus is Latin for “lord of the estate,” and it highlights Moueix’s commitment to caring for the land. The 2021 season is noted for a sustained drought which began in January 2020, and persistent high temperatures led to gorgeous degree of ripeness. A blend of 92 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 percent Cabernet Franc, and 2 percent Petit Verdot, Dominus 2021 Napanook Vineyard was aged in 20 percent new French oak, which adds nice clove and cassia bark notes to aromas of blackberry and black cherry with a hint of earthiness. Flavors of cassis, truffle, violet candy, and dried thyme are wrapped in a sheath of velvety tannins shot through with a vein of rich acidity. Plush tannins are a rich foil to the fattiness of meat and melted cheese, while bold acidity stands up to the piquant spice of Detroit-style pepperoni and sausage pizza.
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Chicago Deep Dish Pizza: Raymond 2019 Generations Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Now owned by Jean-Charles Boisset and consisting of 300 acres of grapes across Rutherford, St. Helena, and Jameson Canyon, Raymond Vineyards was founded in 1970 by the Raymond family, who had been a strong presence in Napa Valley since the 1930s. While Generations pays homage to the estate’s founding family and their love of Cabernet Sauvignon, Boisset honors his French heritage by blending in small amounts of Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. Dark violet to the eye, Raymond 2019 Generations Cabernet Sauvignon offers a nose of black currant, white chocolate, and a touch of eucalyptus. Silky tannins coat the mouth and give way to flavors of blackberry, cassis, and mint tea with hints of milk chocolate and orange zest in the lengthy finish. A full meal in itself, Chicago deep dish pizza’s ample servings of tomato sauce and gooey cheese call for a decadent pour to match, and Raymond Generations fits the bill.
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Grandma Pie: Cheval des Andes 2020 Mendoza Argentina
Cheval des Andes founder Pierre Lurton had a vision to combine the bold expression of Argentine Malbec with the precision and restraint of that made in Bordeaux. The sister property of Château Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux, Cheval des Andes crafts wines in the spirit of the French varieties that were first brought to Mendoza in the middle of the 19th century. A balanced blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot from a warm and dry vintage, Cheval des Andes 2020 is deep ruby red in the glass and offers a heady bouquet of Simka plum, ripe summer raspberry, lavender, and baking spices. A sheath of luxurious tannins wraps itself around luscious acidity and flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, black pepper, clove, and dried Mediterranean herbs. The complexity and weight of this wine is the perfect counterpart to the simplicity of a minimalist-style thin crust grandma’s pizza topped with melted cheese covered by a delicate layer of homemade tomato sauce.
