Wine Pairing with Pizza? No Problem Says CHEERS

Pizza and beer go together like white and rice. But pizza and wine?

Why not, say the folks from CHEERS Wine, and they're putting their wine where their mouth is. Throughout The Beijinger Pizza Cup 2014, CHEERS will be offering a 20 percent discount on Twin Rivers Chardonnay from Australia, one of eight wines that their experts have paired with pizza.

Here are CHEERS' recommended pairings for various types of pizza:

1. Cheese
Wine: Swiss Chasselas
Chasselas not only sounds like cheese, but this pairing is traditional in Switzerland.

2. Pepperoni
Wine: Chianti Sangiovese or Valpolicella Ripasso
Because pepperoni is spicy, it needs a strong wine like one of these to balance it.

3. Margherita
Wine: Peter Peter Pinot Noir or Lambrusco
With its aromatic notes of fresh basil and the use of other lightly-flavored ingredients like tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella, a fresh, fruit-forward German Pinot or lively Italian Lambrusco will pair very well.

4. Sausage
Wine: Foral De Lisboa Red or Primitivo 
If you like sausage you might like a wine with fuller body to pair with your pizza, intense red and black fruits will add a little smokiness.

5. Hawaiian
Wine: Koenigmosel Riesling
With its slight sweetness, accompanied with citrus fruits and apples, and the acidity and low alcohol will pair perfectly with the pineapple on the pizza.

6. White
Wine: Twin Rivers Chardonnay or Tossuck Jumper Chardonnay
The creaminess of an oak-aged Chardonnay will match a white pizza.

7. Barbecue Chicken
Wine: Malbec Argentinian
The barbecue flavor and Malbec will bring your dinner experience to the next level.

8. Salad
Wine: Two Peaks Sauvignon Blanc
Popular greens on these salads include spinach and arugula which are topped with tart vinaigrette. Go for a wine with even more tartness and green flavors such as Sauvignon Blanc.

Photo: CHEERS Wine, Amazon