With a bit of thought as to topping, red or white sauce, etc., there are a number of wines that fit the bill for whatever direction you go.

Let’s start with white pizza, usually topped with rich cheeses like ricotta and mozzarella and an assortment of veggies.. If we are going with a cheesy, rich, white pizza, then high-acid wines are the way to go. If you’d like to take it easy on the wallet, a Vinho Verde would fit the bill.

Kicking it up a bit, bubbles are always a safe bet, as the frizzante and acidity help cleanse the palate after each bite. Cava, Prosecco and crémant all work beautifully here. And if we’re getting creative with the toppings, such as the addition of pesto or arugula, you could even slide in a nice Sauvignon Blanc.

To go in another direction, you could also find a wine that matches the weight and creaminess of the cheese. Well, look…it’s our old friend Chardonnay.  A weighty Chard can hold up to, and actually enhance, the flavors of the cheeses.

Next, it’s off to red sauce pizza and the infinite amount of topping options.

Even more than with the white pizza, tomato-based sauces need acidic reds to match the tanginess of the tomatoes. My top choices are Italian reds such as Barbera, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese (the lead grape in Chianti), and my personal favorite for pizza, Lambrusco.

A sparkling red bubbly, Lambrusco is actually one of the world’s oldest wines, dating back three thousand years. It has had its ups and downs through the years, but 20 or 25 years ago the producers kicked up their game, making drier, more complex wines. It was at this time that a number of New York City’s top pizzerias started promoting Lambrusco as the “go to” pizza wine, and it was was off and running! Lambrusco offers a tart cherry acidity and effervescence that lifts the flavors while cutting through the cheesy base of the pie. Love this combo!

So, Lambrusco is my first choice. But when we start adding pepperoni or sausage, Chianti would be a close second, with its sharp acidity cutting through the fat and grease of the meats. And if you’re going the other direction, such as a Margherita pizza, a nice dry Rosé can shine here.

Some other acidic wines that would add to the pizza experience would be Rioja and Grenache-based wines, such as Côtes du Rhône from France.

So next time you get the craving for pizza, plan a bit ahead on your wine choice. The right wine really does kick up the pizza game!

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Mike Stolese is the owner of Vermont Wine Merchants, a wholesale distribution company based in Burlington.