What wine with salad?

Here's the thing about salad and wine — it's not the greens that cause problems, it's the dressing. Vinegar and wine are natural enemies on your palate, so the trick is matching acid with acid. Pick a wine that's at least as crisp as your dressing and you're golden.

For a simple green salad with lemon-olive oil vinaigrette, Muscadet Sur Lie is your friend. This Loire white made from Melon de Bourgogne has that lovely mineral edge and a slight creamy texture from lees ageing that balances citrus dressing beautifully.

Got a warm goat cheese salad with walnuts and honey? Reach for a Touraine Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre. The citrus-boxwood aromatics play perfectly off goat cheese, and the razor-sharp acidity cuts through the honey. Dry Vouvray (Chenin Blanc) works brilliantly too.

Niçoise salad — with tuna, eggs, anchovies, and olives — practically demands a Provence rosé. Grenache-Cinsault blends from Côtes de Provence have that pale salmon colour, pink grapefruit aroma, and saline finish that echo every element of the dish. Serve it properly chilled at 8-10°C.

Wild card: if your salad uses balsamic vinegar (sweeter, less harsh), you can actually pair it with a light red. A slightly chilled Beaujolais-Villages (Gamay) at around 14°C, with its soft tannins and cherry fruit, is lovely alongside a salad with lardons and croutons.