FEATURE | Salad & Wine Pairings
Say, did that crispness come from the iceberg OR THE SAUVIGNON BLANC?
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s we soak up our remaining warm weather, it’s safe to say there’ll still be plenty of salads on the menu. Although salads are mostly a simple food, (depending on the home chef) they can become a little more complex when you throw in exotic ingredients like pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and Pecorino shavings. However, for the sake of keeping things simple, below we pair seven wines with seven classic salads.
A FRENCH AFFAIR
With its mix of green beans, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, tomatoes and anchovies a NICOISE SALAD has plenty of delicious flavours happening all at once. Why not think about pairing this French classic with a nice dry rosé? A rosé is light enough to complement the greens, yet powerful enough to pair with the rich tuna and creamy eggs. Our pick: Waterford Estate Rose-Mary 2019 (Price R109)
WHERE TO START?
Like with any food and wine pairing, the trick is to make sure the flavours of the food are not dulled by the wine’s body or acidity. And, equally, that the taste or texture of the dish doesn’t leave the wine flat on the palate. When thinking about a good wine and salad pairing, consider the dominant flavours sitting on top of those lettuce leaves. How these can work with your wine, without one overpowering the other? A good starting point is that most salads will pair well with the fresher and lighter side of the wine spectrum. For the most part, that ol’ complex red sitting on your wine rack will be far too heavy and tannic to pair with a simple salad. To help you out, we share a few simple guidelines to follow and experiment with along your wine journey.
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DID SOMEONE SAY PARMESAN? Salads dressed in strong, creamy dressings need a slightly weightier wine with a little oomph behind it. Something like a gently oaked Chardonnay will cut right through those salty anchovies and oily croutons that make CAESAR SALADS such a firm favourite. Be warned, an overly oaky Chardonnay might overpower the various flavours in the salad. Our pick: Canto Unwooded Chardonnay 2020 (Price R109)
GET ME TO THE GREEK
Feta, olives, onions, tomatoes… the gangs all here! Add an oily vinaigrette to the mix and you’ve got yourself an all-time classic. All the good stuff found in a GREEK SALAD should be paired with a wine of a similar sharpness. Try serving this salad alongside a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, the herbaceous notes will complement the olives and oregano. Plus, the zesty fruity notes will hit home with the tomatoes. Our pick: Cape of Good Hope Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Price R140)
SOUTH AFRICAN CONNOISSEUR
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2021/03/02 13:47
