Five pizza and wine pairings

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. – Fiona Buchan, director of marketing for Lakeview Wine Co., in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., shared with Canadian Pizza five pairings of wine and pizza.

“Wines offer varied tastes and experiences with each sip, not unlike the different flavours you can get with each bite of a pizza,”  Buchan said in a news release. “Anything you can imagine to adorn your pizza pairs well with some kind of wine.”

She offered the following tips on pairing wines with classic pizzas:

• Cheese – Wine and cheese on their own pair exceptionally well, so why wouldn’t that be the case when the cheese is all melted and gooey? Try opening a bottle of Cabernet Merlot. It will bring out the fresh tomato notes in the pizza sauce, and Cabernet pairs well with any cheese.
• Margherita – The lighter style of the fresh basil and tomatoes on this pizza calls for a lighter style of wine, such as a nice summer rosé. None of the flavours are overpowering, and will complement each other quite well.
• Pepperoni and mushroom – Gamay is known for spicy and earthy tones, which are a beautiful match with the spiciness of the pepperoni and the earthiness of the mushrooms.
• Veggie – The options for veggie toppings are near endless, but among the most popular are veggies and onions. These tangy flavours are nicely complemented with the bright citrus notes found in a Pinot Grigio.
• Hawaiian – Put aside the raging and unsettled argument about whether pineapple belongs on a pizza. For those who enjoy it, the tropical fruit notes to be found in Riesling Gewurztraminer blend would really make that flavour pop on the pizza, and the crispness of the wine will cut through the saltiness of the ham.