£9.49, Waitrose
Finding inexpensive Pinot Noir isn’t the challenge it once was, but even so this is a spectacularly good-value example – and it’s only £7.12 in any 6 or more bottles of wine or Champagne until June 14. Bargain.
It has a lovely Pinot Noir fragrance of roses and fraises des bois and a palate that frames the fruit with dried herbs, gently smouldering oak and spice, a gossamer texture, lithe, medium-light structure and juicy freshness. And the medium-pale ruby-garnet colour is in keeping with it all.
The grapes are sourced from cool-climate vineyards and the winemakers behind the wine are two of the Cape’s stars, Thys Louw and Duncan Savage, so the quality should come as no surprise.
Serve it cool or lightly chilled, and not just in the summer, although it's a perfect summer red, with or without food. It’s a good red for fish, especially red mullet, tuna steaks and salmon, and for prosciutto-wrapped white fish (hake, halibut, monkfish, cod). It would also partner quail, guinea fowl, duck magret, sweetbreads, veal, pork or lamb cutlets; or mushroom pasta or gnocchi. 13%. Empty bottle weight 424g.
Albert Road Pinot Noir by Savage & Louw 2021, Western Cape, South Africa
£9.49, Waitrose; or £7.12 in any 6 bottles of wine or Champagne until June 14