Francis Ford Coppola Winery Opens Pizza And Wine Hotline To Help You Craft The Perfect Pairing

There are those that regard pizza as nothing more than a simple, greasy meal ordered from a local pizza joint when there's no time to make anything else, but it's so much more than that. It also has a classy side — and along with having the potential to be an elevated meal with complex flavors and artisanal ingredients, it pairs well with wine. After all, pizza originated in Italy, so it makes sense that the two are so compatible. In fact, one winery is so passionate about the match between pizza and wine that it created a hotline to help you decide on the perfect pairing.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery — owned by the same man who directed such classic films as "Apocalypse Now" and "The Godfather" trilogy — recently launched the "Coppola Pizza WineLine" to guide inquirers towards the best vino to go with their pizza night. Starting July 1, 2023, curious consumers can text 601-706-WINE (9463) to get pizza-related advice from some of the winery's sommeliers. The line will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT until August 31, 2023.

In a press release, Coppola Wines' vice president of marketing, Gabriela Becker, said that the intention of the WineLine is to "help Americans level up their enjoyment of pizza by educating them on how much the choice of what to drink with your pizza can affect the way it tastes." If you need proof of what Becker is talking about, look no further than our favorite wine and pizza pairings. For example, pepperoni pizza goes great with a glass of chianti, as the rich taste of the wine brings out the smoky flavors of the meat.

The WineLine will be open as part of Francis Ford Coppola Winery's second annual "Perfect Your Pizza" Competition, which you can enter here. In order to win, contestants must create a unique pizza recipe, and choose a wine to pair with it. The competition will be judged by Dan Richer, best-selling author of "The Joy of Pizza: Everything You Need To Know." Pizza is easy to make at home, so there's no harm in signing up, especially since the winner will receive $25,000.

You can also definitely use the WineLine without entering the competition. Doing so will help expand your palette and introduce new flavor possibilities. Whether you want to impress your friends with your pizza pairing skills, or simply want to learn more about wine, text the WineLine to upgrade your pizza experience.