Salads are and should be varied. We give you a handle on how to find the right wine.
There are two important and deciding factors when pairing wine with salad. Your choice of dressing and any additional ingredients you are using – olives, cheese or meat? Dry, aromatic fresh whites are often the go-to option.
Dry, aromatic whites like Verdejo from Rueda, Spain, or a Sauvignon Blanc from Pouilly Fumé, Loire, France, will give you sufficient acidity to stand up to the acidity of the dressing.
Lively, fresh, dry whites from sunnier climates provide acidity and body in equal measure. Great examples are Assyrtiko from Greece, Grillo or Fiano di Avellino from Italy or white Rioja are all great examples.
Think about what grows together, goes together. Olives in a Niçoise salad are wonderful for a Provençal Rosé or a Rosado from Spain. Seafood additions are wonderful to pair with an Albariño from Rias Baixas or Muscadet from France. Smoked meats go well with dry, oaked white wines from anywhere in the world or fresh, savoury reds, like young Chianti, Valpolicella or young Rioja.
Our six golden rules for wine and food pairing can also help you on a more general level.
