Wine pairing
Best wine for pizza
Last updated
Pizza is tomato, cheese and crust, so it wants a wine that is fruity, fresh and not too serious. Light, juicy reds and fizzy Lambrusco are the easy wins, and crisp southern whites are great with marinara or seafood pies. These are our pizza-night wines.
Quick answer
Choose a fruity, low-tannin red (Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Barbera, Primitivo) or a dry, fizzy Lambrusco. For white or seafood pizza, try Falanghina.
10 wines to pour
Falanghina
Falanghina · Campania
Citrus and blossom, fresh acidity. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “Neapolitan seafood pasta's natural partner.”
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo
Montepulciano · Abruzzo
Deep cherry-pink, juicy, dry. Serve at 50°F / 10°C.
Larry: “Summer sausage and peppers wine. Chill it and go.”
Chiaretto di Bardolino
Corvina and Rondinella · Veneto (Lake Garda)
Pale pink, red berries, light. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “The aperitivo-hour pink.”
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore
Glera · Veneto
Pear, apple, finer bubbles. Serve at 44°F / 7°C.
Larry: “The upgrade from everyday Prosecco. Same price as a fancy sandwich.”
Freisa
Freisa · Piedmont
Raspberry, rose, tangy; sometimes fizzy. Serve at 58°F / 14°C.
Larry: “Nebbiolo's cheerful cousin.”
Valpolicella Classico
Corvina blend · Veneto
Light, sour cherry, easygoing. Serve at 58°F / 14°C.
Larry: “Pizza red. Slightly chilled.”
Bardolino
Corvina and Rondinella · Veneto (Lake Garda)
Very light, red berry, spice. Serve at 56°F / 13°C.
Larry: “Red wine for people who drink white.”
Gragnano
Piedirosso, Aglianico and Sciascinoso · Campania
Purple, frothy, dry-to-off-dry red. Serve at 54°F / 12°C.
Larry: “Neapolitan pizza's fizzy red. Trust it.”
Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio
Piedirosso and Aglianico · Campania (Vesuvius)
Smoky, cherry, medium body. Serve at 60°F / 16°C.
Larry: “A volcano in a glass. With pizza.”
Frappato
Frappato · Sicily (Vittoria)
Light, floral, strawberry. Serve at 56°F / 13°C.
Larry: “Chilled red for tuna and summer.”
Cooking it tonight? Start with Pizza recipes, then learn the basics in Wine Pairing 101.
Questions people ask
What wine goes best with pizza?
A fruity, low-tannin red or a dry sparkling Lambrusco suits most pizzas.
What wine goes with pepperoni or sausage pizza?
A juicy red such as Primitivo or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo handles spice and fat.
What wine goes with margherita pizza?
A light, fresh red or a crisp white with good acidity to match the tomato.
Is beer or wine better with pizza?
Both are traditional; see our Italian beer pairings for the beer side.