The options for pizza toppings are almost endless, but there are a few things that all good pizzas have in common. One of these is the base, and pizza purists won't settle for anything less than a thin, crisp crust. Then there's something to bind the topping to the crust. Usually it's a seasoned tomato sauce, or cheese, and sometimes both. After that, there's the topping, which can range from shaved black truffles to tinned black olives. Unless your pizza is an austere, single-ingredient topping, it's best to have a wine that goes well with the pizza's richness and balances the inevitable fattiness. Cotes du Ventoux 2003, La Vieille Ferme Rouge This La Vieille Ferme red comes from one of southern Rhone's increasingly quality minded sub-districts, the Ventoux. It is a typical blend of grenache, syrah, cinsault and carignan. The packaging is smart and contemporary and the wine is bright and fruity. It is not deep but has plenty of lush fruit, subtle oak and the weight to handle a pepperoni double cheese pizza. Because it is a balanced wine it may lend itself to seafood toppings as well. Serve it slightly chilled to bring out the wine's brightness. Available for $78 from Altaya (tel: 2523 1945) Guinness The world changed forever when Arthur Guinness invented the stout named after him. Today, no other brewery uses as much malted barley as Guinness. The trademark velvety, silky richness distinguishes Guinness from imitators. A little known fact even to the dedicated is that Dublin makes five or six principal versions of Guinness, in 19 variations. They include draught Guinness, 'draught-flow' bottled Guinness (for the US), Continental Guinness, 'strong' bottled Guinness, bottled Guinness, foreign extra stout and Guinness extra stout. They vary from 4 per cent to a whopping 7 per cent in alcohol. The colour also varies from version to version. The creaminess in all of them matches the intensity of most pizzas, and the bitterness cleanses the palate. Try chilled Guinness with pizza topped with proscuitto and porcini mushrooms. Available at supermarkets for about $10. Rioja Blanco 2002, 'Fermentado en Barrica', Muga, Spain Riojas - both red and white - are some of the most unfashionable wine styles around. The riojas of today taste nothing like the thin, pale, insipid oxidised versions often found in the 1970s. Completely overshadowed by other Spanish areas such as Toro, Priorat, and specially the Ribera del Duero, Rioja's following is slowly dwindling. This barrel-fermented white is made almost exclusively of the light and fragrant viura grape. It has zingy, vibrant fruitiness with a defined but not overpowering background of vanilla-like oak. Adding to these flavour combinations is a honey-like bottle-age character. It has enough freshness and depth to pair with pizza topped with four cheeses. Try this white Rioja with grilled sardines for an orgasmic match. Available for $148 from Montrose (tel: 2555 8877)
