Beer is most often the go-to beverage for pizza, of course, but the bread-with-bread pairing can fill you up. Here, we offer two white wines and one red that pair nicely with the assertive pesto and tricky-to-match artichokes of the pizza. And they won’t fill you up.
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MAKE THIS
ARTICHOKE AND PESTO PIZZA
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread 1/4 cup pesto (homemade or prepared) thinly over a 9-inch par-baked pizza crust. Scatter 1 jar (6 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, evenly over the top; sprinkle with 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts. Cover with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Bake until the crust’s bottom is golden and crisp and the cheese has melted, 7-10 minutes. Makes: 2 servings
DRINK THIS
Pairings by sommelier Nate Redner of Oyster Bah, as told to Michael Austin:
2013 Cirelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Anfora, Abruzzo, Italy: Aging wine in an amphora (spelled “anfora” in this case), amps up the nutty flavors and rounds out the sharpness of the acidity. The richness of this trebbiano will nicely complement the nutty/salty profile of the pesto, and the soft acidity would help tackle the traditionally difficult pairing of artichokes. The wine will also offer stone fruits and citrus. Just don’t make the mistake of serving it too cold.
2014 Domaine Guiberteau Chenin Blanc, Saumur, Loire Valley, France: Bone-dry chenin blanc is one of the most versatile wines to pair with food. The grape is a great vehicle for terroir: It tastes like the place it comes from. Saumur has mainly limestone soils, which, in this case, have produced a lean and bright wine with notes of green pear, lemon zest and a refreshing saline character, all great partners for the flavors of the pizza.
2013 Jolie Laide Grenache-Syrah, Sonoma County, California: Scott Schultz, a California transplant from Chicago, produced this elegant, floral and fresh wine. Blackberries, pomegranate, violets and black pepper all vie for attention but play nicely together. Open the bottle a couple of hours in advance, and enjoy the play between the wine’s peppery fruit and the herbaceous character of the pesto. The balanced fruit and acidity in this unctuous red won’t dominate the dish.
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