What’s the best night of the week? Pizza night! You can always count on everyone’s favourite Italian staple to lift spirits. Great pizza nights are about more than just food – fabulous entertainment and wonderful wines are also important. We’ll leave the entertainment schedule up to you – but we do know a thing or two about pairing wine with food. Here’s a guide to all the best pizza and wine pairings, from sweet whites to dry reds, margheritas to Hawaiians and everything in between.
Red wine with pizza
Red, white, even pink – great pizza accompaniments come in all the colours of the wine rainbow. Barefoot red wine is rich and delicious with meat-topped pizza slices.
Merlot with BBQ chicken pizza
Merlot pairs well with grilled chicken, BBQ ribs and burgers. Combine the two tastes on a BBQ chicken pizza for a match made in Barefoot Merlot heaven. Neither too dry nor too sweet, this full-bodied and flavoursome wine gives dishes with contrasting flavours a real zing. This Merlot food pairing helps the smoky and sweet notes to each find their time to shine – without being overpowered.
Shiraz with pepperoni pizza
Pepperoni is a classic pizza topping, so it can be tempting to reach for your go-to bottle of white – but, white wine is best avoided. The pepperoni flavour we’ve all come to love is meaty, subtly spicy and laced with tomato. This fruity base gives pepperoni pizza a certain acidity of its own, so zesty wines won’t do. No – to give pepperoni pizza the crown it deserves, you need a fruit-forward red wine with a spice of its own that isn’t overly acidic, such as a glass of shimmering Barefoot Shiraz.
Malbec with meat feast
Like fish and chips or Bonnie and Clyde, some things are just meant to be together. In the world of pizza and wine pairings, the Malbec meat feast is one such classic combination. Malbec is robust, comparatively dry, and low on tannins, which gives it a subtle after-taste that works famously well with meat. In fact, it’s often enjoyed with steaks and peppery grills. Barefoot Malbec is a great red wine to enjoy with pizza – especially when said pizza is loaded with ham, chicken, spicy beef and many layers of pepperoni.
White wine with pizza
For those who love a lighter taste, there’s good news. Barefoot white wine is also a great combination with pizza, suiting cheesy and fruity pizzas which are lighter on meat.
Pinot Grigio with margherita
An iconic pizza deserves a winning wine – and Barefoot Pinot Grigio ticks all the boxes. The light and refreshing qualities of pinot grigio grapes make food pairing easy – especially with easy-going margherita pizzas. The light, herbal aroma of our best-selling Pinot Grigio will draw out any basil without eclipsing the taste of tomato and mozzarella. In fact, the best Pinot Grigio food pairings are often found in simple ingredients – especially cheese and light tomato sauces.
Chardonnay with white cheese pizza
The pairing of food and wine is a subtle art. Barefoot Chardonnay is delicious on its own but pairing with food can be a balancing act. This dry and smooth white retains its flavour best with creamy, tame dishes – such as cheese pizza made without tomato purée. It’s a winning pizza and wine combination suited to sunny afternoons spent lounging in the garden.
Sauvignon Blanc with Hawaiian
Hawaiian pizza is already a party in the mouth. Pour a glass of Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc on the side and you have a daring combination that’s simply sensational. This is one of the driest white wines you’ll find, so it balances out the super-sweet taste of pineapple. In turn, this enhances the salty flavour of ham. Alternatively, sweet wine enhances the pineapple, which can be controversial. We say: you do you, boo!
Rosé wine with pizza
Some of the best wine to enjoy with pizza is neither white nor red, but a dazzling combination of the two. Barefoot pink wine is heavenly and summery – the perfect partner for Italian food.
Pink Pinot Grigio with vegetarian pizza
This wine pairing is simply divine. So, if you like your greens, listen up. Barefoot Pink Pinot Grigio is soft and subtle, but with a splash more sweetness than its white wine sister Pinot Grigio for a delicious contrast to the bitter crunch of peppers, sweetcorn, broccoli, mushrooms or courgettes. Vegetable pizza is a great way to make pizza night nutritious and Barefoot Pink Pinot Grigio makes the experience more delicious.
White Zinfandel with pizza Napoli
The best White Zinfandel food pairing is probably seafood, thanks to the wine’s mild, sweeter taste which borrows tannins from its red sister, but without the pigmentation. This makes White Zinfandel a more drinkable alternative to red wine – it pairs well with crab and mild fish. Napoli is a great partner for Barefoot White Zinfandel on pizza night, since the soft, sweet aroma really enhances the salty taste of anchovies.
Pink Moscato with spicy sausage pizza
Barefoot Pink Moscato wine looks great, sure, with its cranberry-coloured glow, but it also tastes amazing. This is one of the sweetest wines you’ll find, so it’s often used as a dessert wine – but when combined with spicy food, the result is surprisingly harmonious. Pink Moscato’s lighter feel and sweet flavour help to manage spice, drawing out subtle flavours. So, when it comes to pizza wine pairing, the winning topping has to be spicy sausage. Enjoy with a glass of Barefoot Pink Moscato and prepare for sweetness, spice and delicious Italian sausage flavours to really let loose.
WINE SELTZER WITH PIZZA
If you still crave a spicy pizza but need the edge taken off that heat a little, try pairing with Barefoot wine seltzers! Their fruity flavours are the perfect way to tame that flame! Available in both Strawberry & Guava and Pineapple & Passionfruit, you’re sure to find one that goes well with your pizza of choice!
These hard seltzers don’t have to be saved just for the spicy pizzas however! The best part about them – only 70 calories per can! So no matter what pizza you decide to go with, when you pair it with a wine seltzer, you’ll feel guilt free when reaching for another slice!