It’s International Pinot Noir Day on 18th August. Private Client Account Manager Aiden Schwarzer dives into this misunderstood yet multi-dimensional grape.
Whenever I think about Pinot Noir, it takes me right back to when I started here at Tanners - first trying wines blind, forming a personal vocabulary to remember and describe what I was sensing, and Pinot Noir was always the wine that had a familiar smell about it, but the wine you couldn’t quite put your finger on.
We’re taught that Pinot Noir is thin-skinned, early-ripening, light in body and tends to be pale in appearance with a ‘leafy’ quality to its perfume. Much of that is true but the impressive, fuller-bodied examples from the Côte de Nuits - think of Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges, can be very deeply coloured, dense and firmly structured. But that is really the tip of the iceberg.
Pinot Noir is a fickle, mercurial thing, a grape variety that is hard to get to grips with at first, and so often misunderstood - which is why it is so enrapturing once things click into place. If you think Pinot isn’t for you, keep at it!
When Pinot Noir performs, it shows in the most captivating aromatic display - fragrant berry fruits, pressed flowers, exotic spices, and with maturity, more of the forest floor, damp earth, mushrooms, and more besides. The wines tend to be silky in nature, easy in terms of tannins, with good freshness, and a mix of sweet/ripe, savoury, and mineral flavours. Pinot Noir is multi-dimensional; it speaks of where it is grown and also how it is made - the whim of the winemaker, not to mention the nature of the vintage.
But it can be awkward. It’s hard to explain how and why, but your favourite bottle can sometimes just go all… teenager-y. I think this absolutely contributes to a sense of anticipation and excitement when selecting Pinot Noir!
I’ve said before that Pinot Noir is the Holy Grail of wine. It’s the variety that confounds until it doesn’t - and when you have a magical bottle, you want to replicate that experience. But don’t take my word for it: Pinot Noir is grown everywhere and represents most of the world’s priciest, rarest bottles. Burgundy is the birthplace and natural home, but it’s also a key part of Champagne and reaches all over Europe and the New World - from Oregon and the cooler spots of California to the heights of South America, the windswept coastal wine country of South Africa, as well as the cooler spots of Australia and, of course, New Zealand.
Pinot Noir is at its best when grown in a cooler climate. It needs a longer season to fully develop, and it needs that edge, that freshness. When planted in warmer regions it becomes too soft, flabby, alcoholic and awkwardly sweet.
As a variety, Pinot can be tricky to grow. It's sensitive to climate, and as an earlier-ripening grape, it can be susceptible to spring frosts. Tight bunches make disease pressure a major concern, and it is common to see uneven ripening, too. What this means is more work in the vineyard, typically reduced yields, and therefore a higher starting price than other varietals. But that also means a decent winemaker is going to take this ingredient seriously!
Here are some examples that I can wholeheartedly recommend starting you on your journey (you can thank me later):
A good place to start
Paparuda Pinot Noir, Cramele Recas, Romania 2025, 12.5%
This is the wine that started it all for Romanian wines in the UK. We immediately loved it - and it has long been the Pinot to beat at anything like this price. A little background oak adds a touch of spice to a fragrant ripe mix of cherry, raspberry and plum fruit, it’s well-balanced, juicy and round with a soft supple personality.
While it’s a lighter wine, it doesn’t lack oomph and I think the ripe fruit really lends itself to Asian style duck dishes or any meats where you might add a fruit sauce. Also, soft cheeses, like Brie, and of course mushroom risotto.
£9.95
Castillo Monjardin Pinot Noir, El Cerezo, Navarra 2023, 14%
Now this is a delight. I am always impressed how this wine is possible in such a warm spot of northern Spain, but that’s what an elevated old-vine vineyard (El Cerezo) can bring. On the ripe side, sure, but it isn’t without elegance; there is a savoury, umami depth punctuated by rich cherry and dark bramble fruits, notes of incense, a touch of pine, and some developed complexity too. A lot of wine for the money, especially on offer!
A wine worthy of pairing with more delicate, lighter dishes but the depth to handle more flavour too. Enjoy with a variety of dishes from fish to pasta, to spicy Mediterranean/North African recipes.
£16.20 £13.20
when you buy 3 or more
on offer until 31st August 2026.
A classical choice
Sancerre Rouge, La Grange Dîmière, Jean-Max Roger 2020, 13.5%
Etienne Roger is a superb producer of Sancerre and this is a wonderful example of what they can do with Pinot Noir in the Loire - a place that will surely increase plantings in time. A warm vintage and some bottle-age bring a developed ease and lift, offering a classy nose of leafy fresh red cherry, raspberry and violets. Finely textured with a light grip and long dark cherry fruit on the finish.
This is a fine, elegant example to roll out with fish, salads, cold cuts, and rare beef, as well as softer cheeses, mushroom dishes, and game.
£25.00
Tanners Red Burgundy, Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2023, 12.5%
Produced by the late Nicolas Potel, this wine was crafted from a host of villages between the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. It is always better when it has a couple of years under cork, and it offers up a pretty, velvety mouthful from the generous 2023 vintage. Wild red fruits, a little earth, that Burgundian je ne sais quoi - it’s an excellent introduction to Burgundy.
Classic means classic - Beef Bourguignon, duck, charcuterie, mushrooms and salmon. Take your pick!
£22.00
New World riches
Ide ‘Alcade’ Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 2024, 12.5%
A brand-new addition to our list - a cool climate USA Pinot at a sensible price. The work of Sonoma Bespoke who, from their modern facilities in Napa take a sustainable approach to winemaking, sourcing fruit from higher altitude sites across Sonoma. Exotic tea, roses, and a mix of spicy red fruits, even a touch of citrus. Bright and lively with savoury lick on the finish… an almost Italian style. I’d recommend trying this lightly chilled.
Lean into Italian food matches and pair it with pasta, dishes loaded with herbs, lamb kofta, or a halloumi salad dotted with fruit.
£19.30
Churton Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2024, 13.5%
The team at Churton has always taken inspiration from France for its wines, and this Pinot is no different. Full-flavoured, elegant, and deeply perfumed, with layers of spiced cherry and raspberry fruit. The tannins have a fine-grained structure, the acidity gives a real juiciness, and there is a pleasing savoury vein, too. Nicely balanced and long.
As a weightier example, this is where you can get into venison, along with roasted meats, braised meats, or herby sausages and Puy lentils.
£29.95
Other recommendations
Domaine Divio ‘Les Climats’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021, 13%
Not uncommon in the Pacific Northwest, this is a proudly US Pinot made by a French winemaking duo from Burgundy. Using organic methods, they promote biodiversity in the vineyard and take a low-intervention approach throughout, resulting in a pretty, generous, and svelte mouthfeel - with pockets of charming sweetness, some attractive green, smoky/stemmy touches, and a pleasing savoury lick. Very well balanced and drinking nicely now.
This is another wine that would benefit from food, and its richness lends itself to heartier dishes - this has elegance, but it is far from a lean, light Pinot.
£38.00
Salwey Spätburgunder, Kaiserstuhl, Baden 2023, 13%
I’ve always been fond of the Salwey wines, and it’s great to see such positive reviews in the press for their recent releases - they are in a real groove. Baden is warm, Konrad Salwey favours Burgundian varieties over Riesling, and he has some incredible vineyards. This is a blend that represents his entry level; you get a little whiff of pine, a hint of smoky oak, and a dense pot of plum, cassis, and dark bramble fruits. It’s bright and shows some tension - lots going on, but with a certain energy. It will need some time open to relax, but it’ll be worth the wait. Sophisticated stuff!
Pair with wild game, for sure - or try a mushroom and barley risotto, or truffle pasta dishes.
£23.50
