What to Drink with Pizza

[madiran]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

Without a doubt it has to be a red Lambrusco, no, seriously-no sniggering from the back there, just because Sharon'n'Tracey (think 'twinkies/airheads' in US) hijacked it in the UK it has a poor reputation. Once you get past the idea of a frizzante/fizzy red it really is delicious, well chilled with pizza.But. make sure it is a DOC maybe an L Grasparossa di Castelvetro or L Salamino di Santa Croce.It is usually low in alcohol, around 7.5% which means you can drink it in large quantities without falling over. Even our local LIDL (european cheapo supermarket) sells the Grasparossa now and then for about ?2 a bottle.

[mrgweeto]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

In the summer I drink a nice cold beer. Come the fall I drink our homemade wine. It takes the pizza experience to another level. We tend to eat and drink slower. Don't have to guzzle the beer to keep it from getting warm(haha)
G

[Ankita]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

Hi,

You can drink something like a Barbera, a Valpolicella or a Rosso di Montalcino and even you can go for wine and beer.

Thanks.

[blackjack]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

If I'm not drinking alcohol then I prefer San Pelligrano Chinotto with my pizza.

[terrihoward]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

WOW!!!!! All I can say is WOW! I love them both (beer and wine). It all depends on your attitude and state of mind! One day may be a great beer the other may be a great wine. Never choose one over the other, they are both great!

[CoalsArt]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

Lambrusco...the good kind, not Riunite!

[Fred Schroeder]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

My wife and I drink Zinfandel almost exclusively with most Pizzas. There are other reds that work well with pizza such as Syrah, Shiraz and Grenache, but the Sweetness of the fruit and the lighter body of Zinfandel work better in our experience. I have heard some winedrinkers who claim the high acidity of Sangiovese found in Chianti works better because of the acid in tomatos, but I have found these wines (except Brunellos) are too light and the acid adds nothing. The sweetness of the fruit in Zinfandel and its lack of acidity perhaps provide a pleasing contrast that works better. Obviously if you are not a wine drinker, a good beer works great with most pizzas.

[rossano]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

Oh, and by the way guys and gals.. I would think it obvious. The Italians have it right, WINE is the perfect accompaniment to pizza.

The sweetness of the San Marzano tomato seems equally well paired with an earthy Pinot Noir (Williams Selyem anyone?), earthy but fruity merlot (Chateau St Jean Sonomoa County?), or even a Cabernet with a bit of age on it. Add some proscuitto or sausage to the pizza and a big Aussie Shiraz (Penfolds Bin 28, Saltram #1, d'Arenburg Dead Arm) stands up just fine.

Beer is for when you are thirsty after mowing the lawn or working on your oven in the hot sun.

I'm of coursed very biased on this topic, so feel free to ignore me and continue sucking down those suds....

Being of Italian decent, and from going to Italy numerous of times.... Beer and wine are both equally enjoyed with pizza.

[Fred Schroeder]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

I am German descent, never been to Italy (yet), but I have an Italian soul (made a great Eggplant Parmesan last night and a pretty good Shrimp and Saffron Risotto tonight). Zinfandel is my favorite Wine. Williams Selyem Pinot is my favorite but its price north of $100.00 does not make it feasable for my twice weekly Pizzas. Good Merlots are hard to find and expensive. Aged Cabernets have been out my league price wise since the late 80's. Italian immigrints in the 1880's to the 1920's made their grape of Choice Zinfandel. Your Italian cousins knew what they were doing.

[mrgweeto]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

Our family has been making their own wine forever. My brother and I have been carrying on the tradition for quite some time. It is a meritage made up of valdespena, petite cabernet and alicante grape. You can't beat a good cold beer but I find if I drink beer I can't eat a a lot of anything let alone pizza so that's why I drink our wine. It goes great with any type of food. Forget about this wine goes good with this and that wine goes good with that. After a fun conversation with a friend that sells wine and writes about them I finally had to tell him that no matter what he touts as being the best it all boils down to in the taste of the beholder. He smiled and said he knows. What ever your taste-buds say is good than there you go. Keep on cooking and enjoying those adult beverages of choice.
G

[Fred Schroeder]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

Just curious, why did you select the grape varietals for your home made wine? Valdespena is something of a mystery grape that may be Tempranillo and Petite Cabernet is thought to be just another name for Cabernet Savignon. Because of the heat in our area, I planted heat tolerant varietals Petite Sirah, Carmine and Ruby Cabernet.

[mrgweeto]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

We have been using those because it was what our grandparents made back in the day. We have used merlot grape instead of the Cab and we have used other varieties but we always seem to come back to these. It is a nice all around drinking wine that lends itself to food or just by itself on a nice fall day. I like all wines and like to try different store bought bottles but always come back to our home made. These are the grapes that our supplier gets in from California and we like them. Several years it was so good it was scary. That is when you wish you made several hundred gallons.

[GrahamG]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

when I fire the oven up, I have a cider or beer, then when the pizzas are cooked, we dink red wine.

[mrgweeto]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

I like the way you drink.....I mean think.

[BradPQ]

Re: What to Drink with Pizza

I want to add, or suggest that this question equally applies to what are you drinking WHILE making pizza. This is just as important and enjoyable.