The wines to match

This is more a question of what goes with garlic than what goes with chicken, although the flavour is milder and more mellow than you’d imagine. Since you will be using white wine to make the dish, I’d be inclined to drink white wine with it, too – maybe from Italy rather than France. You don’t want a buttery Chardonnay or an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc, I would venture. Those usefully neutral Italian whites like Orvieto Classico, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Vernaccia di San Gimignano or, more interesting still, Timorasso, would work just fine. A good Soave, as well.

As there’s a Provençal influence, you could obviously drink a Provence rosé, too – I suggest a Bandol rosé, which tends to be more weighty and savoury than a lighter, paler Côtes de Provence. And if you want to drink a red I’d recommend a light one, Beaujolais being the obvious candidate – though a lighter cru such as a Brouilly or Chiroubles, maybe, rather than a Morgon. Marcillac would be a good rustic alternative. Wine suggestions from decanter.com –

Try: The Society’s Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Umbria, Italy 2022 90

£8.50 The Wine Society

A good-value, fruit-forward and organic option, this is crisp and taut but it also has a generous weight of orchard fruit on both nose and palate. Unoaked and bone-dry, it has racy acidity and a warm, preserved lemon zestiness on the finish. Drink 2024-2025 Alc 12.5%

Try: Château Jean-Pierre Gaussen, Bandol Rosé, Provence, France 2021 93

£22.95 Robert Rolls

Intense dried fruit on the nose with notes of green tea and herbs, a touch of creamy lees. Soft supple strawberries and cherries and delicate floral notes. Charming yet energetic, with a silky, creamy weight and buttery shortbread richness.

Drink 2024-2033 Alc 13%