Pinot Noir With Regional Appeal
by Jane Augustine
2022 Alsace Pinot Noir
France | Alsace
Alsatian Pinot Noir hit its stride in recent years, and the world is taking notice. Growers are producing the grape in their sunniest limestone plots, only to reveal qualities in the glass even the most celebrated Pinot-producing regions would envy. Kuentz-Bas’s version is laced with dark fruit and spice and offers a supple, satiny texture. Though we’re firmly in Alsace here, it would be a fun nod to pair it with bœuf bourguignon on a cozy fall eve.
2019 Irancy “La Grande Côte”
France | Burgundy
I can’t recall a grower that we started importing whose wines so quickly and seamlessly integrated into our pantheon of classic, can’t-miss selections like Benoît Cantin, as if they’d been a staple on our shelves for decades. La Grande Côte is a top cuvée in his lineup. It’s classy and herbal, from the prettiest, most characterful fruit grown on the steepest slopes. This is Burgundy Pinot at its best, mouthwatering and fresh.
2020 Toscana Rosso
Italy | Tuscany
On a recent trip to Tuscany, my colleague John veered off the beaten path for a chance to meet with Federico Staderini in his vineyards at the foothills of the Apennine Mountains for a tasting and picnic lunch. After hearing about the warm, fresh-from-the-latteria ricotta he served with sun-kissed cherry tomatoes and a glass of his Toscana Rosso, a trip to Cuna is now at the top of my wish list. Expect fennel seed and black cherry from this Pinot Nero, age-worthy acidity, and a velvety tannin. It is one of the most intoxicating examples you’ll taste of the variety.
2020 Alto Adige Pinot Nero “Mazzon”
Italy | Alto Adige
We eagerly bring in every bottle of the minuscule amount of Pinot Nero we’re offered from Carlotto, and it’s always one of the dreamiest versions of the variety we import—ethereal and bright, with notes of orange peel and pink peppercorn. Pinot Nero is transformed into a weightless and perfumed rosso in the hands of Michela Carlotto and her father, Ferruccio. I open Filari di Mazzon to enchant guests who have a palate for elegant wines.
More from the December 2024 Newsletter
