Dinner - Homemade Pizza (Italian)

My boyfriend Matthew is a very talented gourmet cook and is always eager to learn new recipes and cuisines from different cultures. His most beloved and best replicated cuisines have always been Italian thanks to his 3 years of experience in a local Italian restaurant. He often makes foods like chicken Marsala and home made ravioli and pairs them with wines for me to try. His most recent concoction included a dinner with 3 wines paired with a garlic bread side, and 2 homemade pizzas.

Chenin Blanc and margherita pizza

The first pizza was a margherita pizza with hand blended dough, fresh basil, ripened Roma tomatoes, and soft mozzarella cheese. This was paired with Petit Chenin Blanc from South Africa. The nose of this wine was quite floral with hints of citrus fruit like lemon. The taste suited the bouquet well with flavors of rose water and lemon grass which complemented it's light body. The lightness of the Chenin Blanc was pleasant with the lighter pizza and helped accentuate some of the subtle earthy flavors in the basil and tomato, but also cut the creaminess of the mozzarella and heaviness of the dough.

Merlot and pepperoni pizza

The second pizza was a 3-pepperoni pizza with a four cheese blend. It was paired with Kenwood Vineyards 2009 Merlot from California. The Merlot smelled of raspberries, black cherries, and licorice; it tasted like blackberry and red currant mixed with a smoky finish. I found this wine thinner than other Merlots, but it was absolutely phenomenal with the pepperoni pizza. The pizza
actually helped to draw out the pepper qualities of the wine.

Cabernet and toasted garlic bread

The side that I ate last was sliced oven-toasted garlic bread with aged Parmesan and parsley. The garlic bread was paired with Kenwood Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from California. This wine smelled of strawberries and black pepper but tasted of blackberries and plum, a good offset from the Merlot. It also was thicker and had a softer mouthfeel, other than the sharp peppered finish. The spiciness of this Cab was perfect to offset the garlic buttery taste of the oven toasted bread.





Overall this was a teriffic experience and incorporated two of my favorite things: pizza and wine! My favorite wine was the 2008 Cabernet, but I thought the margherita pizza was to die for! However, the best pairing would be the pepperoni and Merlot pairing because of the way the food helped to bring out flavors in the wine. (Also one of my favorite things when it comes to pairings.)

Decanting the Merlot

Decanting the reds before enjoying them really helped to bring out subtle flavors when enjoying the wine with or without food, as seen above. While decanting definately takes some time, especially when sampling multiple wines, it is worth it for the flavors it can reveal.

Enjoying the first pairing: Chenin Blanc and margherita pizza!

I have really been enjoying wine dinners, especially learning how to cook all the delicious foods! (And taking selfies with them.)

Taking selfies with the first pairing...