Indeed, Primitivo's cousin in California, Zinfandel, is a good catchall pairing.
WSJ: Will Lyons on Wine: There's a Wine for Every Margherita | The Perfect Pizza Pairings
2.
He poured me a glass of Le Baccanti, an Apulian Primitivo, which was just dry enough to complement rather than overwhelm the dishes coming at me at the rate of roughly one per every half-eaten plate.