Gragnano, The Perfect Wine for Pizza - Eat Cheap 2009 -- New York Magazine

And Finally

May we recommend a nice Gragnano to go with your $21, meticulously handcrafted Neapolitan pizza?

By Robin Raisfeld & Rob Patronite
Published Jul 12, 2009

(Photo: Hannah Whitaker/New York Magazine)

Italians, it turns out, aren’t big on vino with pizza. Beer, yes (Peroni, usually). Even Coke. There is one rather obscure exception: Gragnano, the frizzante red that comes from the town of the same name on the Sorrento Peninsula outside of Naples. Drunk young and served chilled, Gragnano has a touch of sweetness, a smoky finish, and a slight effervescence that cuts the fattiness of cheese and oil. David Orange, president of Brooklyn-based importer Wine Emporium, started bringing in Cantine Federiciane Monteleone Penisola Sorrentina Gragnano five years ago, and describes the blend as “inky, grapy, and similar to Lambrusco, with smaller bubbles.” The wine has DOC status, appealing to those new-school pizzaioli who aspire to Neapolitan authenticity in all things. That’s why you’ll find it on the lists at Una Pizza Napoletana, Motorino, and Zero Otto Nove. You can also pick up a bottle for around $15 at 67 Wine, Astor Wines & Spirits, and Garnet Wines & Liquors.

The Cheap List	A Folding Manifesto
The Best Burgers in Town	What It Costs to Run a Pizzeria
Lip-Smacking Cocktails for $8 or Less	A Day at Una Pizza Napoletana
Tasty Sandwich Concoctions	A Who’s Who of Pizzaioli
High-end Restaurants’ Low-Cost Spaces	Make a New-School Pie at Home
The Neapolitan Pizza Revolution	The 100 Pizza-Eaters Poll
The Evolution of NYC Pizza Styles	Know Your Ovens
The Top 20 Pies of the Moment	The Perfect Wine for Pizza
104 Years of Pizza in New York	Where Famous New Yorkers Go for a Slice