A go-to rule among food-and-wine pairing experts is to drink what you like, rather than picking a wine style you don’t enjoy in the hope that it will improve with the food. This holds especially true with a versatile food like pizza. Pizza is really a perfect formula for showcasing Italian simplicity and balance: a flatbread with sweet, acidic tomatoes, melty rich cheese and the herbaceous zing of basil. Because of its balance, it can go either way with wine: red or white.
Falanghina—an ancient variety found primarily in southern Italy’s Campania region—tends to be floral and herbaceous, characteristics that work well with the tomatoes and especially basil. Most importantly, this light- to medium-bodied wine is usually very acidic, which punches up the fruit in the sauce. The Villa Matilde Falanghina Campania Rocca dei Leoni 2022 (89, $20) offers mouthwatering peach and melon, accented by citrus, green almond and spice.
Tasting Report Taken From: Wine Spectator
Reviewer: Owen Dugan
