Pepperoni pizza

Pepperoni pizza

Pepperoni pizza combines sharp tomato, salty, melting cheese and spicy, fatty sausage, so the wine needs high acidity for the tomato and bright fruit for the spice. Firm tannin turns metallic against tomato and cheese, and high alcohol makes the chilli in the pepperoni burn. A juicy, lively red is the natural answer.

Pairs Perfectly. Barbera, Piedmont, Italy. Sour cherry and plum over high acidity and very little tannin, which matches the tomato and cuts the fat of the pepperoni without clashing with the cheese. It is easy on the pocket.

Pairs Well. Zinfandel, California, USA. Ripe bramble fruit and a peppery edge that suits spicy sausage, best in a style that is not too high in alcohol.

Pairs Well. Nero d'Avola, Sicily, Italy. Plum and black cherry, soft in tannin, a southern Italian red made for tomato and cheese.

Worth Seeking Out

Ruché from Piedmont, Italy. A rare, perfumed red with rose, pepper and cherry and gentle tannin, and a fresh lift for a spicy pizza.

Avoid

Firmly tannic, heavily oaked reds. Tomato and cheese make tannin metallic, and high alcohol makes the chilli sting.

Failing That

A Côtes du Rhône, France.

If All Else Fails

Rioja Crianza, Spain.

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