Salade Nicoise is one of those deliciously varied French salads. At its most basic it has tomatoes, anchovies, black olives, capers, green beans, hard-boiled egg and tuna. The fish is usually tinned, but it can also be seared or pan-fried fresh tuna. The anchovies provide a base of sea flavours and salt to bring all the ingredients together. It's light, healthy and satisfying. The best wine to serve with this dish needs mouth-filling texture and vibrancy; deliberately crisp wines will pair a lot better than, say, a chunky, oily viognier or fat-bellied chardonnay. Pascal Jolivet Pouilly Fume 2007 Loire Valley, France Wine lovers from New Zealand will probably think this is the strangest sauvignon blanc on the planet, when in fact it's one of the classiest. It's made from the finest, ripest fruit that's slowly transformed into a classic wine tasting of smoky minerals. Pascal Jolivet is perhaps too young and handsome to be taken seriously in the wine world, so he set out to let his wine do the talking. It's a perfect match with salade Nicoise: the olive oil-braised tuna richness and creamy dressing are enhanced by this stunning wine. Available for HK$298 from Jebsen (tel: 2923 8777) Pio Cesare Gavi 2006 Piemonte, Italy Gavi is one of the all-time food-friendly wines. It is as austere as it comes and razor sharp in its delivery; it has a little more than a streak of minerally flavours and perhaps some almond notes. Pio Cesare is perhaps better known for its reds - the Barolos and Barbarescos - but this white, made with the cortese grape, is every bit as classy. There are tones of delicate floral notes on the nose, the palate is dry and lean and really delivers a good dose of authority. This is a perfect wine for Nicoise salad. The refreshing acidity sits happily next to the lightness and crunchiness of green beans and their lively tones. Available for HK$140 from Jebsen (tel: 2923 8777) Hugel Jubilee Pinot Gris 2002 Alsace, France The Hugel family has been making wine in Alsace's Riquewihr since 1639. Most wine lovers are preoccupied with the flagship riesling and gewurztraminer of the region while the pinot gris is less known. But the best Alsatian pinot gris can be aged and developed with as much interest as the other two grapes. This Jubilee range has plenty of spicy fruity notes. The fruit richness is carried well by the balanced acidity. This is a seamless match for Nicoise salad. The wine's richness complements the anchovy's depth of flavour, and its acidity will especially enhance seared tuna. Available for HK$219 from Maxxium (tel: 2845 5995)