Summer in a bowl – the perfect interplay of sweetness, salt and freshness
There are dishes that have summer in them, and this salad is one of them. Watermelon, feta, mint and black pepper – four ingredients that add up to more than their individual parts might suggest. The cooling sweetness of the melon meets the salty, milky spiciness of the feta, the fresh scent of mint lifts everything and the black pepper adds the icing on the cake: a spicy note that contours the sweetness of the melon more sharply. Wine with food shows which wine to pair with this Mediterranean summer salad, which oscillates between starter, side dish and light main course. The dish calls for a wine that tastes of summer itself – fruity and fresh, with enough elegance to stand up to the soft feta and enough vibrancy to reflect the mint. Wine and food pairing works best here when the accompaniment picks up the balance of the salad without disturbing it.
Ideal wine pairing: Rosé de Provence AOC (Provence, France)
The chalky soils of Provence, the warmth of the Côte d’Azur and the sea breeze from the Mediterranean shape the Rosé de Provence into a pink white wine – precise, elegant, dry and infinitely uncomplicated. Light salmon color in the glass, almost pale pink, almost orange – the typical onion skin tone of this region. On the palate, it opens with fresh aromas of strawberry, redcurrant peach, pomegranate seed and a delicate hint of white flowers and fresh mint. It is precisely this hint of mint that creates the link to the salad: The wine already carries the herbal aroma and extends it aromatically beyond the sip. The acidity is lively and clear, the texture light, almost crystalline – it cuts through the feta salt content like a knife and always leaves the palate feeling fresh. The subtle fruit of the Rosé de Provence AOC reflects the watermelon without competing with it: Berry meets berry, sweetness meets sweetness – in a playful, unobtrusive way. The black pepper of the lettuce, on the other hand, enlivens the wine once again and gives it a kick that emphasizes its freshness. A glass of this rosé, a plate of this watermelon: that’s summer.
Further wine recommendations for this dish
Sancerre AOC Rosé (Loire, France)
The silex and limestone-rich soils of Sancerre also lend the rosé from this appellation the mineral precision that we know from its white brother. Made from Pinot Noir, this rosé has aromas of redcurrant, rhubarb, citrus zest and a characteristic flint minerality that clearly distinguishes it from rosés from the south of France. It is this minerality that is particularly effective in the Watermelon Feta Salad: it emphasizes the saltiness of the feta without masking it and gives the melon a cool, invigorating contour. The acidity is taut and animating – just the right counterpart to the watery sweetness of the watermelon. A Sancerre AOC Rosé is the more intellectual, but no less enjoyable companion.
Pinot Grigio DOC Alto Adige (South Tyrol, Italy)
The Alpine soils of the Alto Adige and the temperature fluctuations between day and night give the Pinot Grigio here a freshness and crispness that harmonizes perfectly with the watermelon-like water content of the salad. Aromas of pear, green apple, white peach and a fine minerality bring a lightness to the glass that does not weigh the salad down. The acidity is lively and clear, the texture lean – allowing the feta to take center stage and the wine to appear as an elegant companion. A South Tyrolean Pinot Grigio DOC alto Adige is the mountain-fresh, northern answer to this Mediterranean summer dish.
Txakoli DO Getariako Txakolina (Basque Country, Spain)
The Atlantic-influenced, slate-rich soils of the Basque coast shape Txakoli into one of the lightest, most sparkling white wines in Europe – with a natural, almost sparkling carbonic acid touch, Granny Smith aromas, green citrus fruit and a hint of sea salt. It is this sea salt character that makes the wine a fascinating partner for feta: salt meets salt, Atlantic meets Mediterranean. The lightness of txakoli – often under 11% alcohol – makes it the ideal lunchtime companion for this salad on hot days. It refreshes, invigorates and never leaves you feeling full. A DO Getariako Txakolina is the boldest, most surprising wine on this list – and therefore the most interesting for curious palates.
Chablis AOC (Burgundy, France)
The Kimmeridgian limestone soils of Chablis – filled with fossilized oyster shells from the Jurassic Sea – shape the Chardonnay here into a white wine with pronounced minerality, cool elegance and an almost cutting freshness. Aromas of green apple, lemon, chalk and a hint of fresh herbs form a clear, focused aroma without any hint of wood. This cool, mineral freshness enters into an elegantly contrasting dialog with the sweetness of the watermelon – the wine cools the salad aromatically and makes the mint appear brighter. The saltiness of the feta finds an almost symmetrical counterpart in the chalky minerality of the Chablis. For those who want to stick with white wine, a Chablis AOC is the most convincing alternative to rosé.
Discover more summer wine and food pairings in our summer and wine category.
The recipe:
Watermelon feta salad with mint and black pepper
Cooking utensils
- 1 Large chopping board
- 1 Sharp knife (for the melon)
- 1 Large flat serving dish or salad bowl
- 1 Small bowl (for the dressing)
- 1 Lemon squeezer
- 1 Spoon or salad servers
Ingredients
FOR SALAD:
- 700 g seedless watermelon cut into approx. 3 cm cubes or triangles
- 150 g Greek feta Block, no crumbly feta, broken into coarse cubes
- 1 small red onion cut into wafer-thin half rings
- 1 large handful of fresh mint leaves roughly plucked
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt sparingly – feta brings salt with it
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper Rather generous
FOR THE SET:
- A few sprigs of fresh mint
- Some extra black pepper from the grinder
- Optional: 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds or roasted pine nuts
Preparation
PREPARATION:
- Cut the watermelon into even, coarse cubes or triangles.
- Slice the red onion into very fine half rings.
- Break the feta into coarse cubes – it should retain its texture, not crumble.
- Roughly pluck the mint leaves.
COOKING STEPS:
- Mix the dressing: Mix together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt and black pepper.
- Spread the watermelon out on a flat serving dish.
- Spread the red onion rings on top.
DIRECTIONS:
- Spread the feta cubes over the watermelon.
- Drizzle the dressing evenly over the top.
- Sprinkle fresh mint leaves generously over the salad.
- Grind a generous amount of black pepper from the mill on top.
- Optional: Sprinkle with pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.
- Serve immediately – the salad should be fresh and cool on the table.
SUPPLEMENTS:
- Grilled flatbread or pita
- Grilled halloumi slices
- Rocket with lemon vinaigrette as a bed
