The wines to match

PROVENCE ROSE

It would seem perverse not to drink a Provençal rosé with this classic dish, but as the tomatoes are cooked I’d make it a more weighty example such as a Bandol rosé, rather than one of the lighter, more gluggable ‘swimming pool’ styles. A Provençal white such as Cassis would be delicious too.

Try: Domaine Bunan, Mas de la Rouvière, Bandol, France 2020 92

£21.25 Yapp Bros

All the red berry flavours that you’d expect to find in a Provence rosé, but framed in a more serious style. It’s an attractive shade of coral – paler than some from Bandol – and offers a beguiling mix of redcurrant fruit, with a vinous, savoury, structured aspect. Good concentration but it also has freshness and great length too, making a perfect gastronomic rosé.

Drink 2021-2025 Alc 13.5%

LIGHTER RED RHONE

If you prefer a red, the neighbouring Rhône region offers unbeatable value, though full-bodied reds such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Gigondas might well overwhelm what is likely to be an entrée. A young Côtes du Rhône Villages or Costières de Nîmes would suit this time of year better.

Try: M Chapoutier, Côtes du Rhône Villages, France 2019 91

£9 Tesco

It’s a tribute to the skill of the winemaking team at Chapoutier that this basic Côtes du Rhône – a simple blend of Grenache and Syrah, aged in concrete tanks for a year – is so good. It wears its high alcohol amazingly lightly, staying fresh but with an appealing, peppery twist to its dark elderberry fruit. Even some ageing potential, which at this price is extraordinary.

Drink 2021-2025 Alc 15% D