Are you looking for a pizza pairing? Montepulciano is a classic choice to pair with a typical pizza with cheese and tomato sauce. And it can certainly stand up to a bit of meat! Read on for more details!
We are on vacation at Cape Cod this week. That means we are going for easy dinner options, a combination of whipping up quick things or takeout. We have a tradition of ordering pizza the first night we arrive at the cottage, and I thought that would be the perfect time to open up a Montepulciano D’Abruzzo for today’s #ItalianFWT visit to D’Abruzzo. So no recipe to share today, just a simple Pizza Pairing: Montepulciano D’Abruzzo.
Now, I have to confess, Montepulciano is one of those wines I grab at the shop a fair amount, but don’t know a whole lot about it. I have probably been reminded a few times that Montepulciano is a red wine grape varietal, and shouldn’t be confused with the Tuscan town by the same name, that is the source for Vin Nobile di Montepulciano, made from Sangiovese grapes.
I had a rough idea that the Abruzzo region is in Central Italy. Jen filled in some of the details about the region’s boundaries in her preview post for this event: Abruzzo is bounded by the Adriatic in the East, Le Marche to the North, Lazio to the West and Molise to the South. Conditions are good for grape growing, and Montepulciano is quite prolific. That helps bring us good quality wines at a nice price! Montepulciano is typically less acidic than some Italian wines. A simple, approachable style that is easy to like. In addition to Jen’s article, you might want to check out my article on Montepulciano d’Abruzzo that I wrote following my 2019 visit to the regionmy 2019 visit to the region.
Our pairing: We have a good sized crew here at the Cape, so there were a lot of pizzas to choose from! I focused on two pies: one with green peppers and onions, the other a meatball pizza.
I picked up a bottle of 2009 Agriverde Riseis Montepulciano D’Abruzzo ($15, 13.5% alcohol) at Pairings Wine & Food. The winery has been in operation since 1830. This wine is a step up from the winery’s entry level Montepulciano.
The wine is deep purple in the glass. Musky nose. First taste, I got blackberry and charcoal ash. Dense wine. Opens up in the glass. With the pizza, the fruit comes more to the forefront. Seems like those rustic qualities in the wine help it stand up to the pizza cheese. A good pairing! I thought it went particularly well with the meatball pizza. Definitely a bottle I’d grab again for pizza or other simple Italian food.
Want another pairing for Montepulciano? Try our Spicy Chicken Sausage PastaSpicy Chicken Sausage Pasta with a glass!
Follow along the Abruzzo journey with my other Abruzzi fans and make sure to join us next month on October 3rd as we will be covering the region of Umbria. You can also chat with us live this Saturday morning at 11am EST on Twitter at #ItalianFWT. Hope to see you there!
Vino Travels – The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Terramane DOCG with Cerelli Spinozzi
Rockin’ Red Blog – The Natural Wonders of Abruzzo
Italophilia – American in Abruzzo
Confessions of a Culinary Diva – Abruzzo Comfort Food & Wine
Cooking Chat – Pizza Pairing: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo for #ItalianFWT
The Wining Hour – 3 Wine & Food Pairings with Gusto from Abruzzo
Food Wine Click – Aruzzo 1st Course: Farro and Butternut Squash Soup with Passerina
Culinary Adventures with Camilla – Polpi in Purgatorio
Enofylz Wine Blog – Grilled Lamb Lollipops with Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Tralcetto
Jennifer Martin (Vino Travels)
There is nothing wrong with simplicity and a good pizza and wine pairing. Enjoy the Cape!
Camilla @ Culinary Adventures
Pizza + wine (good wine) = culinary bliss. Heck, pizza and any wine is a great dinner! 😉 Cheers.
Cooking Chat
I know! It’s a pretty easy food to pair, but the Montepulciano is an especially good match.
jeff
David,
You’re to be congratulated for finding a way to post on vacation! Glad the pizza was good and the wine, too.
Martin Redmond
This was my first experience with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and I can definitely see it being a a great pizza wine! Looks like you picked good one!
Cooking Chat
Yes, it’s definitely a good pizza wine!
Mauro Marabini
Sorry,but I do not agree with those pairings; pizza was “invented” in Naples” and there people drink beer with pizza,and in my opinion the light American Beer is very suitable.Note Birreria & Pizzeria that sounds very well.
Regard Pizza with meat balls, this has nothing to to with pizza,naples and Italy. This is an american “inventions” I’d
suggest Zinfantel,.
regards to everybody
Mauro Marabini
from Italy
Cooking Chat
Hello Mauro–thanks for stopping by to share your opinions. Some valid points. I did have a chance to have pizza in Naples and believe it was with a beer, so I know where you are coming from with that point.
This #ItalianFWT blogging leaves it to us to interpret what we want to do around the region we are focusing on each month. You might find some of the others had more authentic pairings. My goal was simply to find a pairing for a wine from Abruzzo that I would enjoy. I like wine with my pizza, and thought the bottle I tried work well.