Pinot Noir, The Most Noble Grape

As grape varieties go, Pinot Noir can be the most rewarding, disappointing and frustrating for wine-makers. It produces some of the most expensive and sought-after wines and yet until recently it has proved difficult to make anything other than exclusive, expensive wine.

The home of Pinot Noir is of course Burgundy where all red wine is made from this single variety. In small, manually intensive vineyards set in limestone hills these hand crafted wines are capable of elegance, finesse and great ageing potential. On the downside they can be thin and tannic when young and as a general rule of thumb, don't drink a red Burgundy with less than three years ageing.

While in northern Italy (Pinot Nero) and California (One of my favourites is Clos du Val) have been producing good Pinot Noir for many years, in general the new world wine countries have stuggled in vain to make a success of this variety. The vines prefer a cooler climate then most and are notoriously difficult to cultivate. New Zealand started to have some success in the 1990's with a younger, lighter, more fruity style of wine.

In recent years Chile has really come to the fore in producing excellent inexpensive Pinot Noir. Tabali Pinot Noir from the Limari Valley in northern Chile has great depth and complexity and the new 2007 vintage is the best yet. Nostros Pinot Noir from Casablanca west of Santiago has cracked the making of this variety at a low price. At £5.99 this really is exceptional value, smooth with enough interest to make you want to keep sipping.

With it's trademark farmyard nose, elegant style and subtle fruit, Pinot Noir is a grape variety worth getting to know. From Sancerre rose, fine Burgundies to great value Chilean it is a variety that intrigues and can be most rewarding.

You can find more about Pinot Noir and a great range of wines at Talking Wines.

Owning a Vineyard

As a shipper and wholesaler of wines, I am constantly given details of vineyards who would like to sell their wine to us. At Talking Wines we are very choosy about which wines we select and most leads don't get very far. We judge wines by thei character and sense of place, but also value for money in the world wine market. It is only by having these strict criteria that we have been able to put together the range that has built our successful business.

lastyear one of our hotel customers passed on details of an English couple who have bought a vineyard in Corbieres. We agreed for samples to be sent, but without high expectations. On tasting however, the wines were superb and we have been selling them ever since. Not only are the wines of Chateau Haute-Fontane great, but Penny and Paul Dudson are charming people and a pleasure to do business with.

Penny and Paul moved from Oxfordshire to France in July 2007 after 20 years working in finance. The 30 hectare estate is in the Corbieres maritime, inland from Narbonne making about 200,000 bottles a year. They face the challenges of all small winemakers - the vaguaries of the weather and the damage caused by wild boar. It is a certaily a hard life, but with its rewards. They have started the process of moving towards organic production as well as having buildings on the estate converted into holiday lets. It has been a hectic few years at Chateau Haute-Fontaine.

We list four of their wines. Chateau Haute-Fontane Corbieres Blanc is a zingy fresh style with an aromatic nose and a rich palate with real depth made from Granache Blanc, Vermentino and Marsanne. The most popular wine, especially in the summer has been Chateau Haute-Fontane Corbieres Rose. It is a dry Grenache Cinsault blend with delicate red fruits and a hint of fennel and spice. The fruity smooth
Chateau Haute-Fontane Corbieres Rouge is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. It has rich aromas of cassis and herbs with supple tannins, rich forest fruits, hints of leather and tabacco and good length. Chateau Haute-Fontaine Corbieres Grand Reserve is aged in French oak and has great complexity with the fruit balanced by savoury oak and a long finish. It compares very favourably to a Bordeaux at the same price.

Paul and Penny's story is a great tale of two people following their passion. Most importantly, they are making some great ine for us to enjoy. Find out more about Chateau Haute-Fontaine at Talking Wines.