With Pinot Noir Day on August 18th, it felt rude not to shout about some excellent bottles I’ve been trying recently. There’s something here for every budget and from most of the top regions around the world that make great Pinot.
Want to know a bit more about the grape and its key regions? Check out this ‘Pinot Noir is the Ballerina of wine‘ vinalogy video! Once you’ve done that, dive into these bottles below and remember, Pinot Noir is one of the few grapes that makes red wines that love a slight chill. Cin cin!
SPARKLING WINES
Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé, Roberson, SOUTH AFRICA, £24 (£21 mix 6) Majestic
I keep coming back to Graham Beck because for a traditional method sparklers (made like Champagne), they offer exceptional value. This Pinot is ripe and fruity with red berry and pastry notes.
Waitrose Blanc de Noirs Brut NV, Champagne, FRANCE, £28, Waitrose
With sparkling wine generally, Blanc de Noirs means ‘white made with black grapes’ which often translates as almost entirely Pinot Noir. This own-brand version is fab: biscuity and creamy yet fresh with it.
Balfour Blanc de Noirs 2022, Kent, ENGLAND, £50 Virgin Wines
A great example of what England can do with fizz, this showcases classic brioche and red apple skin notes with a lean, mineral core and a chalkiness on the finish, typical of Kent.
STILL WINES (£7-£17)
Blueprint Pinot Noir, ROMANIA, £7.50 Waitrose
Romania produces lots of accessibly priced Pinot Noir that’s easy drinking, lactic smooth, simple and fruity. Cramele Recas makes this - one of the country’s top producers.
Errazuriz Estate Reserva Pinot Noir, Aconcagua Valley, CHILE, £9.25 Tesco Asda, Waitrose, Ocado
While fairly light on colour, body and alcohol (12.5%) the flavour profile of this Chilean Pinot is more on the brooding, blackcurrant-spice side. Lovely with a slight chill too.
Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr ‘Cuvée Prestige’ Pinot Noir, Alsace, FRANCE, £14.50 (£12.50 mix 6) Majestic
Alsace is most famous for its whites but the Pinot Noirs are gaining momentum! This is a great example: round and creamy with baked strawberry and cedar notes.
Larry Cherubino, Ad Hoc Cruel Mistress Pinot Noir, Western AUSTRALIA, £14.50 Loki Wine ND John Cambridge Wine Merchants
This poised and crunchy Pinot comes from a top producer in one of Australia’s finest wine regions. Think black cherry and raspberry with a cool mineral core and a pencil lead finish.
Nanny Goat Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NEW ZEALAND
£17 on offer until 18th Aug (was £20), Waitrose
Central Otago is THE New Zealand region for elegant, cherry-scented Pinot Noirs and this little Nanny Goat is the perfect benchmark example of the regional style. Silky and perky!
STILL WINES (£20-£57)
Kendall-Jackson ‘Vintners Reserve’ Pinot Noir, California, USA, £20.50 (£18.50 mix 6) Majestic The Wine Press
Coastal California has long been praised for its languid, velvety Pinots like this that taste like strawberries in cream with a sprinkling of cinnamon spice. Still fine wine, but chilled out.
Meyer-Näkel, Spätburgunder Blauschiefer 2022, Ahr, GERMANY, £37.70 The Wine Barn
Spätburgunder is German for Pinot Noir and sets the benchmark nowadays for the cool climate Pinot style. This is lean, with redcurrant, cherry and a smoky, slate-mineral finish.
Marbury Pinot Noir 2024, Crouch Valley, Essex, ENGLAND, £44, elementarywine.co.uk, thefinewinecompany.co.uk
Crouch Valley in Essex is the newest, most exciting region for fine Pinot in the world and Marbury is leading the way! Rich and velvety with wild strawberry and baking spice notes.
Two Paddocks, Last Chance Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NEW ZEALAND, £57, VINVM
I had to include this ethereal wine as it was the late, great Sam Neill’s favourite vineyard of his own beloved Two Paddocks holdings. Nervy, mineral and lean, this needs time to come round but when it does, it is hauntingly beautiful just as fine Burgundy used to be.
Listen to my interview with Sam Neill here on the HelenaSips Podcast!
Read this: Wine Icons - Whispering Angel & its 6 Wine Siblings
Read this: Chilled red Wines: Rules of thumb and some to try
Loved the Cruel Mistress Pinot - and I struggle with the grape generally. Paired it against a unicorn English PN; grapes grown in Hampshire, winery in North East, but no longer exists.
YOU are a Pint Noir; Beautiful, elegant, sophisticated and super intelligent (and hard work, but I love you). xx