| Choosing a good wine to complement your pizza will | | | | pertaining to wine, this is a generalization. With some |
| depend a lot upon what kind of pizza you like to eat. | | | | detective work, you can find California wines that are |
| Pizza already has such a combination of flavors that | | | | Italian in style and will work nicely. |
| must blend together: cheese, meats, vegetables, sauce, | | | | Recipe for Zucchini, Mushroom and Smoked Cheese |
| and crust. This makes choosing the perfect wine a bit | | | | Pizza |
| of a challenge. | | | | This gourmet pizza is delicious with a glass of earthy |
| Traditional pizzas with tomato sauce and spicy | | | | Pinot Noir. It pairs well with the mushrooms. |
| toppings need a good Italian red wine with a fruity, | | | | What You Need |
| spicy flavor. A Zinfandel, Chardonnay, or Syrah holds | | | | - 1/2 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped |
| up well to a hearty pizza with sausage and onions. | | | | - 1/2 cup zucchini, sliced |
| Many of these fuller wines do well with traditional pizza | | | | - 1 garlic clove, chopped finely or mashed |
| choices. Lighter pizzas like Hawaiian pizza requires a | | | | - Olive oil |
| lighter, sweeter wine like Riesling. | | | | - 1 pinch oregano |
| There are a few tips that will help you choose the right | | | | - 1 Tablespoon lemon juice |
| wine to go with your pizza: Fast food pizzas have | | | | - Smoked cheese |
| sweeter sauces, so choose a sweeter wine. If you | | | | - Mozzarella cheese |
| choose a dry wine, it will taste sour. Tomato sauce | | | | - Salt |
| needs a wine with an acidity level that can | | | | - Black pepper |
| complement it. Extra cheese goes better with white | | | | - 1 pizza crust |
| wine than red. Do not choose an oak flavored wine to | | | | - 1/2 cup of your favorite pizza sauce |
| go with pizza. | | | | How to Make It |
| White pizzas (those without tomato sauce) go well | | | | Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the zucchini and |
| with Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio. Red | | | | oregano. Let it saute for a couple minutes until the |
| pizzas (those with tomato sauce) tend to go best with | | | | zucchini just begins to soften. Add the mushrooms and |
| Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, | | | | saute for another minute. |
| and Rioja. | | | | Pour in the lemon juice and stir. Season with salt and |
| Do not be afraid to experiment. If you really like a | | | | pepper to taste. Set aside. |
| certain type of wine, try it with your pizza. Eating and | | | | Top your crust with a thin layer of sauce. Sprinkle a |
| drinking these together will tell you if you have made a | | | | thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. |
| good pairing or not. If the wine tastes sour or flat, it | | | | Spread a layer of the zucchini mixture over the |
| was not a good choice for this meal. If the flavors | | | | cheese. Try not to get too much excess moisture on |
| complement the food and come alive, remember this | | | | the pizza. |
| pairing for future reference. | | | | Sprinkle crumbles of smoked cheese over the top. |
| Many food critics insist that only Italian wines | | | | Add more mozzarella over the top. |
| complement pizza properly. The Italian wines are more | | | | Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes or until |
| acidic than California wines, for instance. Like all things | | | | the crust is golden and the cheese is melted. |