Italy produces some of the best wines in the world, but you don't have to be an expert to enjoy Italian wines that are both affordable and delicious. This list of ten wines from Italian producers offers variety, history, and flavor. Each one is perfect for numerous occasions, but you should certainly try them all before you die. Oh, and did I mention that you don't have to break the bank to procure these Italian gems? They are all available under $20, so head to the wine store and get to sippin'. RELATED: Red Wines to Drink Instead of Pinot NoirRELATED: 12 French Wines to Try Before You DieRELATED: The Best Wines For Booze DrinkersI love beer, white wine, sparkling wine, and rosé with pizza. But the classics never go out of style. Here are two Italian red wines that are dynamite with pizza. Both were consumed at Bar Del Corso, one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Even if you don’t get pizza there (which you should),  you’ll still have a great meal. All non-pizza options are creative, fresh, and expertly prepared.

(Though can I put in a plug for bringing back the baby turnips?)top 5 french wine brands First up was the 2011 Azienda Agricola COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria. wine and beer specialsHard to tell from this picture, but it comes in a squat bottle. wine shop red hillSo it’s already got your attention. big red wine and food festivalThis Sicilian red is a blend of Nero d’Avola, which brings some richness to the party, and Frappato, which is the lively, lampshade-on-the-head counterpart. best treatment for red wine stainTogether, they work like Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell:can i buy wine online in ga

Second is what I consider to be the finest wine for pizza and cured meats. list of best italian winesOr pizza with cured meats. best white dinner wineThe Cleto Chiarli Vecchia Modena Premium is a dry and fizzy delight. best wine deals new zealandIt’s very pale, almost a rosé. And dangerously easy to drink. You’ll note the wild closure around the cork that seems intimidating, but you just (carefully) pull one of the wings out where they attach to the top of the bottle. (I saw our server do this with no fuss. A quick internet search reveals that, for many, a screwdriver is the preferred tool of choice….) More Bar Del Corso, featuring a nettle pesto pizza with guanciale More Seattle pizza, with padron peppers and an Italian rosé

Even more Seattle pizza, in a conversation with Mike Easton from Pizzeria Gabbiano: Tags: , , , , , , ,This week The Kitchn is awash with wonderful pizza recipes, pizza techniques, and pizza stories, so why not look at wines to drink with pizza? Over the years I've found a number of tried-and-trusted wine styles that have stood the test of time as perfect pizza partners. Traditionally pizza meant a thin, crispy dough base with two key ingredients: tomato sauce and melted cheese. The best wines for pizza take into consideration these ingredients. While fuller-bodied white wines, and even Champagne or sparkling wine, can be delicious with the right pizza, in general you are looking at a red wine. Pizza, regardless of topping, is always fairly earthy and substantial fare that begs red over white. High Acidity + Moderate Tannin Color decided, next thing to take into account is the fat in the melted cheese. To cut this, you need a wine with medium-high to high acidity.

Because tomatoes are high in acidity, you need a fairly high-acid wine. Avoid reds that are high in tannin, as the combination of the tomato flavor and lots of tannin can be quite metallic. I also like the wine to have plenty of juicy fruit flavors, as well as a savory/earthy dimension, to help bring out the flavors not just in the toppings but also from the crispy dough base. Italy: The Motherland of Pizza Wines It is no surprise that the source of some of the best pizza wines is also the home of pizza. Italian red wines are noted for their high acidity. Given the unparalleled number of grape varieties grown in Italy, and the amount of tomato-based dishes they eat, it is easy to find an array of red wines that are moderate on the tannin front. But it would be unfair (and too easy) to only consider Italy when sourcing a good pizza wine, so I have spread my wings and looked further afield. While not exhaustive, in my opinion the following six wines will pair with any pizza:

Barbera is the first wine that comes to mind when I think of pizza. From Piedmont in Northern Italy, Alba and Asti are two communes that are demarcated for Barbera. Barbera is noted for its high acidity and low tannin. Barbera wines are very juicy and packed with cherry-berry flavors. Go for the simpler, fruity unoaked versions. Sicily is a much-overlooked region when it comes to quality wine. It is the source of this lively, fruity red made from a blend of Nero d'Avola and Frappato. Frappato, the lighter of the two grapes, adds brightness, lightness, and perfume as well as a savory gamey note. No need to aim for the weightier Classico style — just straight-up, straightforward Chianti is a natural pizza partner. Made from Sangiovese, simple Chianti is less concentrated and less tannic than its classico big brother. Typically unoaked or very lightly oaked, the wines tend to be jucier and lighter-bodied — perfect with your pizza While I could easily stay in Italy, with so many pizza-friendly wines, I am veering west to France and specifically to the Gamay grape.

Beaujolais, the Macon, and Anjou (Loire) are great sources of fresh, light-to-medium-bodied, fruity Gamay wines. Gamay wines also have a delicious earthiness which is another plus when eating pizza. Don't let the name turn you off. Over the past five or so years, Austria has been making great strides with its red wines. Blaufranckish, an indigenous black variety, is all about the fruit — bramble fruit, black cherries, and plums — with sufficient but supple tannins. It is a recent addition to my list of pizza wines. Across the Atlantic and the United States to California, you'll find our much-loved Zinfandel. However, a caveat: Avoid the blockbuster, full-bodied, heavily extracted (and expensive) styles when having pizza. Instead look for the fruitier, unoaked (or lightly oaked), medium-bodied wines. Simple Zinfandel at its best is juicy, only moderately tannic, and packed with wild and juicy blue, black, and red fruits.What are your favorite pizza-wine combinations? Mary Gorman-McAdams, MW (Master of Wine), is a New York-based wine educator, freelance writer, and consultant.