Wine to Pair with a TV-Show: What to Open with Pizza or Sushi

Friday evening, your favorite series on the screen, and fresh food delivery on the table. It may seem that pizza or sushi usually calls for beer or sweet soda. However, a glass of well-chosen wine can turn an ordinary home snack into a real gastronomic event.

Of course, complex vintage bottles are better left for special occasions. For a relaxed evening, you need bright, clear, and highly food-friendly wines instead.

Perfect pairings for Italian pizza

The choice of wine for pizza is always dictated by its toppings. For example, classic Margherita with tomato sauce and mozzarella needs wines with high acidity. A light Chianti or any young Sangiovese will be an excellent option. They will harmoniously highlight the taste of tomatoes without overpowering the delicate cheese.

If you prefer Pepperoni or meat pizza, it is worth looking at richer varieties. Spicy Zinfandel or juicy Shiraz will handle the fattiness of the sausage perfectly.

But for Quattro Formaggi pizza, it is better to put red wine aside altogether. White varieties, especially dry Riesling or fresh Chardonnay, will balance the creamy texture of this dish much better. All these pairings have stood the test of time and work reliably.

What to pour with Japanese rolls or sushi

Japanese cuisine is a little more complicated. Raw fish, salty soy sauce, spicy wasabi, and pickled ginger create a real explosion for the taste receptors. Dense, tannic red wines are definitely not a good choice here. They can instantly give fish a very unpleasant metallic aftertaste. Fresh white and sparkling wines, on the other hand, will be your best option:

• Crisp Sauvignon Blanc will perfectly highlight the taste of rolls with salmon or tuna thanks to its bright citrus notes.
• Dry Riesling will handle the spiciness of hot sushi beautifully. Its high acidity easily washes away the aggressive heat of wasabi.
• Aromatic Gewürztraminer is a real find if you love pickled ginger and slightly sweet sauces like unagi or teriyaki. Its perfumed notes will perfectly complement this flavor palette.
• Mineral Albariño, historically grown near the ocean, will create a flawless pairing with fresh sashimi and seafood thanks to its light salty nuances.
• Austrian Grüner Veltliner will delicately support the dishes with its signature herbal character and subtle notes of white pepper.
• Light Pinot Grigio will serve as a safe and neutral background: it will not pull attention to itself, allowing delicate white fish to play the main role.

The point is that tiny bubbles effectively cleanse your palate after every piece of roll. After such an elegant pairing, you will hardly want to return to your usual beer again.

Food pairing as an everyday habit

The ability to match a drink with food is not limited to fine dining or Michelin-starred restaurants. Even an ordinary dinner at home in front of the TV can take on new colors. Of course, a deeper understanding of the basic principles of flavor pairing comes gradually.

If you want to turn intuitive choices into confident knowledge, it is worth paying attention to our Wine & Spirit Academy wine courses. There, we explore not only boring theory, but also the practical details of modern food pairing. As a result, you will always know exactly which bottle to grab on your way home for the perfect evening.