Pizza and beer go together like peanut butter and jelly, right? Well, yes. But pizza and wine is an underappreciated, surprisingly great combo — basically the equivalent of peanut butter and honey.
So I was intrigued to see Yellow Brick, a cozy Olde Towne East pizzeria known for its vast bottled beer list and interesting draft selection, unveil a new wine list. Let’s take a look at which of Yellow Brick’s new wines pair best with some of their specialty pies.
The pie: Big O
Red-sauced pizza with feta, artichoke hearts, spinach, tomato, garlic and red onions, plus a bit of pesto on top
The pairing: Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel. Because many of the toppings are salty (feta, artichokes, pesto), a slightly sweeter wine is ideal. Bright fruit and berry flavors bring out the sweetness of the tomato sauce.
The pie: Rhode Island Red
Pizza dough is spread with olive oil and red sauce then baked ’til extra crispy. It’s topped with just a sprinkling of parmesan.
The pairing: Banfi Tuscany Classico Riserva. Go with a classic chianti that’s light enough not to overpower the beautiful simplicity of this pie.
The pie: Carnivore
Red-sauced pizza topped with pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, ham and bacon
The pairing: Louis Latour Pinot Noir. A hearty red is what you’ll need to stand up to all that meat. A cherry sweetness evens out the spiciness of the pepperoni.
The pie: Oak St.
White-sauced pie topped with mushrooms, onion, garlic and potato
The pairing: Giesen Sauvignon Blanc. Not surprisingly, white-sauced pizza goes best with white wines. A light, earthy sauvignon blanc pairs perfectly with those mushrooms and potatoes.
The pie: Pico Blvd.
Bacon, eggs, potatoes, chives and cheese topped with drizzles of sour cream and hot sauce
The pairing: Le Vigne di Alice Prosecco. The eggs make this essentially a brunch pizza, so it makes sense to go with a bubbly brunch standard. The crisp sparkling wine will cut right through the richness.
∙ Shelley Mann is the editor of Crave, Columbus’ new dining magazine. Keep up with her at ColumbusCrave.com.
Photo by Will Shilling
