I tried Pizza Hut’s new tomato wine. Tell me why it was garlicky
As a registered dietitian who enjoys indulging in a variety of foods, pizza holds a special place in my heart. It’s a culinary masterpiece that combines tangy, sweet, salty, and spicy flavors—all packed into a single slice. When I learned about Pizza Hut’s new offering, a pizza-flavored wine, it piqued my interest.
Contrary to what I hoped—a wine curated to enhance the pizza experience—this new product is, indeed, pizza-flavored. Crafted in collaboration with Just Beyond Paradise Winery from Kansas, the wine is meant to complement Pizza Hut’s signature menu items, featuring tomatoes and natural basil as the primary components.
Described as “crafted from ripe, juicy tomatoes” infused with basil, I was uncertain about how apt such a blend could be outside of a sauce. But with tomatoes being fruits and basil frequently used in beverages, I proceeded with cautious optimism. However, my excitement waned when I noticed the inclusion of garlic in the mix—garlic in a wine?
The packaging came with a bit of flair: two stainless steel glasses, a corkscrew, and a $60 price tag. Although the wine sold out faster than the last slice at a party, a waitlist is available for future orders.
Pouring a glass revealed a startling color, reminiscent of a faux-red wine mixed with an artificial hue. The aroma offered a strong punch, perhaps more akin to a strongly seasoned dish than a delicate wine. Along with tomato and basil, the flavors of oregano, garlic, and oak screamed for attention.
I chilled the bottle as instructed and, at the outset, was met with a profile more comparable to a pinot gris rather than any traditional red wine—a necessary improvement, considering the baking ingredients listed. The taste was overwhelmingly seasoned, featuring a prominent garlic presence that turned out to be its most dominant characteristic.
While it was not the pleasant sipping experience one might hope for, it could lend itself well for cooking, particularly in a rich sauce. Though the taste left much to be desired in the realm of drinkability, the experience encapsulated a whimsical culinary endeavor—a testament to how innovation can sometimes take unexpected turns.
In the end, while I wouldn’t dare serve this wine at a dinner table, it certainly has a unique place in the world of experimentally flavored liquids. What it taught me is that sometimes, products designed for enjoyment can provoke revelations instead.
For more about the collaboration, you can explore listings from Irvine Winery.
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