What to drink this International Pinot Noir Day
Honouring a variety known to winemakers worldwide as ‘the heartbreak grape’ on account of its thin, disease prone skins, and tendency to be extraordinarily picky about where it is grown, this Friday 18th of August marks International Pinot Noir Day.
Fanatics of the often eye-wateringly expensive wines crafted from the variety seek examples imbued with the perfume of ripe, wild strawberries and a barely tangible, near pheromonal ‘come hither’ quality akin, perhaps to truffle.
The most pricey rarity ever auctioned was the bottle of $558,000 (£437,226) Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1945, harvested as war ended.
Pinot Noir also excels as a Blanc de Noirs sparkling wines, bringing, over time in the bottle, notes of honey, nougat and red fruit.
Here follow four examples gleaned from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and France.
For value: The Crossings 2021
Despite being the current holder of the International Wine Challenge’s White Winemaker of the Year trophy, flamboyantly dressed winemaker, Natalie Christensen, has created a plucky, juicy, shiny red from New Zealand’s Marlborough – a region put on the map by Cloudy Bay in the 1980s. Serve cool, not cold, and you will find flavours of ripe tayberry then a crisp finish.
£16.99, frazierswine.co.uk
Something precise: Tapanappa, Foggy Hill Vineyard 2021
Tapanappa was founded by the Bollinger Champagne house as well as the legendary Brian Croser, a man who holds the Order of Australia for his service to Australian winemaking spanning four decades. This cherry and plum scented wine takes its name from the morning fog which materialises in the vineyard.
£27.99, robertsandspeight.co.uk
A heavenly choice: Hamilton Russell 2022
Coming from the Hemel-en-Aarde valley, being Afrikaans for ‘heaven and earth’, Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir is a benchmark bottle from South Africa, bearing a hint of cedar and a waft of the famed strawberry within its complex structure.
£41, amathusdrinks.com
The native: Domaine Coillot Marsannay Boivins 2019
And from Pinot Noir’s home, Burgundy, colloquially known as ‘the stomach of France’ comes a measured, liquorice and blackberry scented Marsannay with a silky-smooth texture.
£42.49, tivoliwines.co.uk
