Matching wine to a baby leaf and herb salad, whose only coating is sea salt and black pepper, is easy – almost any white or light red wine will go. Finding a wine for a salad dressed in oil and vinegar is a little more difficult.
Malt vinegar mixed with oil produces tangy vinaigrette, but its acidity can mask the delicate flavours of both salad and wine. Try lowering the amount of vinegar or replace the malt vinegar entirely: red or white wine vinegars taste fruity and match the robust taste of cos lettuce and peppery rocket leaves. A less acidic dressing can be made with olive oil and lemon juice. Serve with light red wines, like Beaujolais, or whites from New Zealand or Sancerre in the Loire Valley.
Trying to find the perfect match for your salad dressing can still prove complicated, so an alternative strategy is to match your salad’s native home with a wine from the same country. Italian Insalata Tricolore (the three colours being green avocado, white buffalo mozzarella and red tomatoes) matches light red Italian wines like Valpolicella while Salade Niçoise, which literally means ‘salad as prepared in Nice’, matches light southern French wines.
PG Wine Reviews
SPAR Spanish Vino Rosado
£4.50 SPAR
More of a light red than a rosé with its flavours of light raspberry with a hint of malt loaf. Not sweet.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 2014
£6 Sainsbury’s (down from £8 until August 25)
Light on the gooseberry, this Sauvignon is made by the reliable Chilean firm Errazuriz under the Sainsbury label, so it should always deliver.
Villa Nueva Argentinean Torrontés 2014
£8.99 Majestic
An aromatic and fruity white that is a good alternative to the aperitif-style sherry Oloroso and makes a good match to seafood or snacks.
Planalto Portuguese Vinho Branco Seco
£8.99 Majestic
A sophisticated white with a touch of apple and melon sweetness.
Montes Twins Chilean Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
£11.99 Majestic
This 50 – 50 red blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon tastes of cherry, choc and coffee.
Tweet me a wine question @huxelrebe
© Paula Goddard 2015 www.paulagoddard.com
