The wines certainly helped. We started on the deck with these two:
2014 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Il Rosé di Casanova Toscana IGT Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese
Bone dry, great complexity. Purchased two years ago but got lost in the cellar--in this case, a blessing.
2016 Navarro Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé of Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
The perfect summer 'deck wine'. Very aromatic with sweet rose petals and white pepper. Sweet fruit up front, but finishes dry and consistent with Navarro's trademark preference for lean, unmanipulated wines.
With salad:
2011 Louis Jadot Morgon Côte du Py Château des Jacques Gamay
In 2015 I said I wouldn't open another for 2-3 years. The time had come: and time has been good to it, the fruit has evolved nicely but the tannins are still in control. Wait on additional bottles.
With roasted lamb shanks, celery and potatoes:
2011 Poggio La Noce “Gigiò” Toscana IGT SuperTuscan Blend
Brought by dinner guest. NO community tasting notes on Cellar Tracker? Can't believe it. This wine is SOOO good. 90% sangio and 10% merlot, rich and silky but not overoaked. Bigger bodied than the typical sangiovese. Mouthcoating and elegant. Cinnamon, raisin and dark fruit, and balanced structure, unmistakeably Italian. Just ordered six for my own cellar.
After dinner with a soft ripened chevre-style cheese:
1993 Remoissenet Père et Fils Volnay Pinot Noir
Last and best of three bottles owned--it's been two years since the last. Glows from secondary development without the funk of earlier bottles, and still has fruit for liveliness and intensity. Terrific after-dinner wine with a ripe soft cheese.
And Beaujolais in general works well with salads, it often has a bit of a celery note and that blends into most lettuces very well. But to answer your question directly, the salad was iceberg lettuce, parsley and avocado in a dressing of oil, vinegar and fresh garlic. Too, my dressings are always homemade, applied judiciously and never sweet.
