Pinot Noir: Elegance in Every Sip

Pinot Noir is a varietal that captivates wine enthusiasts with its delicate yet complex character. This grape has a long history dating back centuries and its popularity continues to grow due to its distinct flavour profile and ability to reflect the terroir in which it is grown. Let’s explore the fascinating journey of Pinot Noir, its characteristics, and its significance in the world of wine.

The roots of Pinot Noir can be traced back to the Burgundy region of France, where it has been cultivated for centuries. The cool climate and limestone-rich soils of Burgundy provide the ideal conditions for this temperamental grape to thrive. However, Pinot Noir has also found success in other parts of the world, such as California, Oregon, New Zealand, and Germany. Each region imparts its unique characteristics onto the grape, resulting in diverse expressions of Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir is renowned for its delicate, yet complex nature. It typically exhibits a light to medium-bodied structure with moderate tannins and acidity. The wine's colour ranges from a pale ruby to a deep garnet hue. Aromatically, Pinot Noir is incredibly diverse, showcasing notes of red berries, cherries, violets, and sometimes earthy undertones. On the palate, it offers a harmonious balance of fruitiness, acidity, and subtle tannins. The finish is often velvety and lingering, leaving a lasting impression.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Pinot Noir is its ability to reflect the characteristics of the region in which it is grown. The concept of terroir, which encompasses the local climate, soil composition, and viticultural practices, greatly influences the flavour profile of the grape. In Burgundy, Pinot Noir wines are renowned for their earthy and mineral-driven notes, while those from California often exhibit riper fruit flavours and a touch of spice. New Zealand's cooler climate produces vibrant and fruit-forward examples of Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir's versatility makes it an excellent companion for a wide range of cuisine. Its moderate tannins and acidity make it a perfect match for poultry, especially roasted chicken or duck. The wine's vibrant fruitiness also complements grilled salmon or mushroom-based dishes. Its light to medium body pairs well with a variety of cheeses, including Brie, Camembert, and Gruyère.

Pinot Noir holds a special place in the hearts of wine connoisseurs and collectors worldwide. Its reputation as a challenging grape to cultivate and vinify has only increased its allure. The finesse and elegance displayed by Pinot Noir wines have led to comparisons with the great works of art, as they evoke emotions and tell a story with every sip.

Moreover, Pinot Noir has gained recognition for its ability to age gracefully. Many Burgundy wines made from Pinot Noir grapes can develop complex flavours and aromas over time, adding layers of complexity and depth to the wine. This aging potential adds to the wine's desirability and contributes to its popularity among collectors.

Here are a few of our top picks from the Eden portfolio that highlight the differing styles of Pinot Noir. Hailing from New Zealand we have the luxurious MOKOblack Pinot Noir. The MOKOblack has a bright nose of fresh cherries and raspberry notes and on the palate the crunchy fruit flavours follow with dark cherries and cranberry hints offset with a lick of oak to give the wine excellent structure.

Why not serve this slightly chilled with delicate, rich and aromatic food such as duck dim sums, tempura fried vegetables and oriental salads.

The Cave de Turckheim Pinot Noir from Alsace in France is pure, ripe, and characterful with classic varietal raspberry fruit and juicy acidity on the finish. Rich berry fruit dominates now but the Turckheim offers more gamey, complex characters of Pinot Noir that develop further with age. Cave de Turckheim are widely regarded as one of the best co-operatives in the world and are leaders in the worlds of sustainability of growing and winemaking.

And finally, the Calusari Pinot Noir, hailing from the Cremale Recas Estate in Romania owned by Englishman Philip Cox and his Romanian wife Elvira. With recent investments into modernising and improving their winery, they regularly host world class winemakers, vintage to vintage, to work with their team. This enables them to create top quality wines and constantly challenge themselves push innovations and approach winemaking with an open mind.

The Calusari has gorgeous dark fruit flavours, almost syrupy in its concentration. Dark, rich and potent, with layers of black cherry, raspberry and cinnamon. Fruit cake and spicy aromatics lead onto a lovely long finish. Perfect with semi hard cheeses, salmon, tuna, pork dishes made in the oven, duck, turkey in red sauce.