Great Wines with Summer Salads

By Leslie-Ann Chumsae

When the weather is warm, it’s time to use ripe summer vegetables for salads. The fruitiness of olive oil can add dimension to salads. The acidity from vinegars or mustards also enhance flavor, seasoning the other ingredients to make the flavors sing. Wine works much the same way. The fruit and acidity found in wine can take your salad to new levels of delicious.

The general rule for pairing wine with salads is to harmonize the flavors rather than contrast them. White and rosé wines are an easier match than most red wines. A range of whites will work, from light and fruity Pinot Blanc to grassy, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc. I would avoid heavier whites like oak-driven chardonnay; they’ll kill the clean flavors of salad. But steelier chardonnay, like Chablis, can be perfect. Sparkling wines can be wonderful as well. Go for Brut style; they will be dry and complementary. Here are my specific recommendations for these salads in the July issue of Nantucket Today:

Chicken and Grape Salad: Since this one uses a base of protein and creamy mayonnaise, it’s calling out for a fruity wine with medium acidity. I think a rosé would make this salad shine. Try any 2005 Cotes de Provence or Bandol area rose. One of my favorites is the Commanderie de Chateau Peyrassol, about $18. It has notes of tangerine and lemon zest and a gorgeous pale pink color.

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Brie: Here’s a salad that says ‘Champagne.’ The combination of ripe tomatoes and creamy Brie will be heightened by the lively bubbles in Champagne or other sparkling wines. Gosset Brut Excellence (about $45) is a great ‘food wine’; notes of apple and pear complement creamy notes in the underpalate. Or go for Italian Prosseco by Bisol (around $14) for a lighter option.

Chopped Salad Nicoise: The salty notes from the capers and olives work with the acidity of the mustard vinaigrette; the anchovy paste furthers this combination. I suggest a Muscadet from France’s Loire Valley. Try Domaine de la Louvetrie ‘Sélection Hermine d'Or’ Muscadet Sur Lie (around $13). It is a mineral-driven, bone-dry white with lively acidity, delicious with the flavors of Salad Nicoise.

Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese: A flavorful combination of salty and smoky-- from the grilling to the bacon to the blue cheese-- calls out for a light-bodied red wine. Look for wines made from Gamay, such as Beaujolais, or Pinot Noir from Oregon. Try Rex Hill’s Willamette Valley Pinot (about $23) to bring out the best in this salad. Serve the wine with a slight chill (about 60’ if possible) to taste the unique flavors.

Leslie-Ann Chumsae is owner of The Cellar, a wine and cheese shop on Surfside Road.