Three Pinots, Three Pizzas

Pinot Noir and pizza is one of those pairings that sounds casual and turns out to be quite clever. We've grown Pinot on this hill for a long time, and we eat a fair bit of pizza in the bistro. These are the three combinations we keep coming back to.

One for a Tuesday, one for when friends come over and one for when you've decided the good bottle needs opening.

Why it works:

• Acidity. Cool climate Pinot has the freshness to cut through melted cheese and keep up with tomato.

• Fine tannins. Gentle enough not to turn bitter against salt and fat.

• Red fruit and earth. Cherry and strawberry sit naturally with tomato. The savoury, forest floor side of Pinot loves mushrooms and cured meats.

The base

All three recipes use the same dough and the first two use the same sauce. Short on time? A good store-bought base is fine. We won't check.

Pizza dough (makes 4 bases, about 30cm each)

• 600g 00 flour (or bread flour)

• 390ml lukewarm water

• 7g sachet dried yeast

• 12g salt

• 1 tbsp olive oil

1. Stir the yeast into the water and leave for 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour, salt and oil. Mix, then knead for 10 minutes until smooth and springy.

3. Cover and rest somewhere warm for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled. (Or overnight in the fridge for better flavour.)

4. Divide into 4 balls and rest for 30 minutes before stretching.

Tomato sauce (enough for 4 pizzas)

• 400g tin whole peeled tomatoes

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Pinch of salt

Crush the tomatoes by hand and stir everything together. Don't cook it. It cooks on the pizza.

Oven: as hot as it goes (250°C or higher), with a pizza stone or heavy tray heating inside for 30 minutes.

Image: hands stretching dough on a floured bench (bistro kitchen if the team can capture it).

Recipe 1: Ingram Road Pinot Noir

Blistered Cherry Tomato Margherita.The Tuesday one.A margerita with a bit more going on. Cherry tomatoes blister and sweeten in the oven, which is exactly what a bright, juicy Pinot wants next to it.

You'll need (1 pizza)

• 1 dough ball

• 3 tbsp tomato sauce

• 125g fior di latte, torn and drained on paper towel

• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved

• Handful of basil leaves

• Finely grated parmesan

• Olive oil and flaky salt

Method

1. Stretch the dough into a 30cm round and lay it on a floured tray or peel.

2. Spread the sauce, leaving a 2cm edge. Scatter over the fior di latte and cherry tomatoes, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil.

3. Slide onto the hot stone and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is blistered and the tomatoes have collapsed.

4. Finish with basil, parmesan, flaky salt and another drizzle of oil.

Why it works: Ingram Road is light to medium bodied with red cherry, strawberry and raspberry, fine tannins and a silky texture. Its fresh acidity meets the tomato head on, and those soft tannins won't fight the mozzarella.

Shop now: Ingram Road 2024 Pinot Noir, $26 →link

Recipe 2: Long Walk Pinot Noir

Prosciutto, Thyme & Pecorino.The friends-are-coming-over one.Salty, savoury and a little herby. The prosciutto goes on after the oven so it stays silky, not crisp.

You'll need (1 pizza)

• 1 dough ball

• 3 tbsp tomato sauce

• 100g fior di latte, torn and drained

• 6 thin slices prosciutto

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked

• Small handful of rocket

• 20g pecorino, shaved

• Cracked black pepper and olive oil

Method

1. Stretch the dough and spread with sauce. Top with fior di latte and half the thyme.

2. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and bubbling.

3. Straight out of the oven, drape over the prosciutto so it softens in the heat.

4. Finish with rocket, pecorino, the rest of the thyme, black pepper and a drizzle of oil.

Why it works: The 2025 Long Walk brings wild strawberry, raspberry and red cherry with clove, dried herbs and a hint of forest floor. Salty prosciutto pulls the fruit forward, thyme echoes the herbal notes, and the polished tannins and bright acidity handle the richness. Made from a block where each row runs 540 metres, hence the name.

Shop now: Helen's Hill 2025 'Long Walk' Pinot Noir, $42 →link

Recipe 3: Project 943 SCR Pinot Noir

Wild Mushroom & Taleggio Bianca.The good bottle one.No tomato on this one. Just garlic, mushrooms, a washed rind cheese and thyme. Earthy, rich and built for a Pinot with some depth.

You'll need (1 pizza)

• 1 dough ball

• 250g mixed mushrooms (Swiss brown, oyster, shiitake), sliced or torn

• 10g dried porcini, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, drained and chopped

• 20g butter

• 2 garlic cloves (1 sliced, 1 crushed into 2 tbsp olive oil)

• 80g fior di latte, torn and drained

• 80g taleggio, torn into pieces

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• Parmesan, lemon zest, cracked black pepper

• Truffle oil (optional, and only a few drops)

Method

1. Melt the butter in a hot pan. Fry the mushrooms and porcini until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and half the thyme for the last minute. Season.

2. Stretch the dough and brush with the garlic oil.

3. Scatter over the fior di latte, mushrooms and taleggio.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.

5. Finish with parmesan, a little lemon zest, the remaining thyme, pepper and truffle oil if using.

Why it works: Project 943 is the first release of the 943 clone in Victoria. Wild strawberry, pomegranate and rose petal sit over a silky palate with hints of forest floor. The mushrooms meet that earthiness directly, the taleggio matches the texture, and the wine's acidity keeps every bite from getting heavy.

Shop now: Helen's Hill 2023 'Project 943' SCR Pinot Noir, $75 →link

Prefer us to make it?

If you'd rather someone else handled the dough, the Deck Bistro has wood-fired pizza, the full Pinot range by the glass and a view of the vines those wines came from. We are a winery first, and the menu was built with that in mind.

Book the Deck Bistro ·Shop all wines