Wine with Leslie: I made my first aïoli of the year — here's the rosé I paired it with

I use a recipe from Lulu’s Provençal Table written by the brilliant Richard Olney with Lulu Peyraud of Domaine Tempier in Bandol, perhaps the most iconic wine estate in all of Provence

Fri, 27 Mar, 2026 - 01:00

Leslie Williams

So I made my first aïoli of the 2026 this week. None of your fancy processors were used, just a simple pestle and mortar (I use a granite one I bought many years ago in a Chinese supermarket).

I use a recipe from Lulu’s Provençal Table written by the brilliant Richard Olney with Lulu Peyraud of Domaine Tempier in Bandol, perhaps the most iconic wine estate in all of Provence.

The recipe is simply a full head of garlic, two egg yolks and around 470ml of olive oil, the garlic mashed and stirred by the pestle and the oil added very slowly, plus a little tepid water after a while to stop it splitting.

This glorious sauce is traditionally served with maybe prawns, boiled eggs, green beans and crusty bread, but is also essential for dipping Italian chipper chips in. Given the strong flavours, it needs chilled Provence rosé, which is about all that can cut through the garlicky richness.

This is my way of saying I’ve been drinking rosé already and it is still March. I recommend a Lidl rosé below but if you can stretch to it the Dom. Tempier Rosé is the best I’ve ever tasted (c. €45 in MacCurtain Wine Cellar).

Their Bandol reds are also robust enough to cope with aïoli.

Provence’s textured whites also work, but Provence rosé is best as it also matches the other strong flavours of Provence; anchovies, tapenade brandade (with salt cod and garlic) and pissaladière, the Provence pizza. Three wines from Provence below are all new to the page.

Also, Lidl have Easter specials and new wines in store since March 25, including their tasty Chianti Reserva (€9) and their Saint Émilion Grand Cru (€11.19) which really does punch above its price point. Aldi too have some new seasonal wines in store.

Les Cinq Rameaux, Provence, France, €10

Surely with the bright evenings we can start on the rosé? This is part of the new Lidl spring-summer range which landed last week. Very pale, lively citrus aromas with a touch of red currant, dry and tangy. Try with prawn cocktail on Easter Sunday. Also back is Breath of Paradise, Lidl’s tasty dupe of a certain whispering pink wine popular in the Hamptons.

Lidl

Famille Perrin Lubéron Blanc, Provence/Rhône, €17-18

Lubéron is technically Southern Rhône but borders Provence and this is definitely more Provençal in character I believe, like a lot of wines from around here (Ventoux also) thanks to the same garrigue landscape. From Bourboulenc, Roussanne and Ugni Blanc this is floral, textured and layered with lemon zest and apple scents, a white peach roundness on the palate and a tang of apple skin on the finish.

Bradleys; Bubble Brothers; Fallon & Byrne; wineonline.ie

Château La Coste ‘La Rouge’, Provence, France, €30

From the Provence estate owned by developer Paddy McKillen, a Michelin 3-Key hotel with 3 art galleries, its a magical place by all accounts. This has lots of luscious plum fruits with herbal accents and a pleasing freshness on the finish. The La Coste rosé is also recommended as is the Grand Vin Rouge (€50) which is bolder and richer with tangy cherry skins on the finish.

Brown Thomas; Vintry; winestation.ie; thecorkscrew.ie; Leonard's Fine Wines; Grapevine

Spirit of The Week

Midleton Very Rare 2026, 40% ABV, 70cl €240

Is this the world’s best blended whiskey? Yes, the 43rd MVR release is out, the sixth under Kevin O’Gorman; Three single pot stills and two single grains (one of which was barley based) were used.

I found the 2026 had more butterscotch and floral aromas than previous editions, apple and sweet stone fruits on the palate plus lemon-ginger, spices and pepper; cedar and oak notes linger on the finish. Gorgeous.