Chamonix Reserve Pinot Noir 2023
| Producer | Chamonix |
|---|---|
| Country | South Africa |
| Region | Franschhoek, Western Cape |
| Wine Type | Red Wine |
| Body / Style | Soft & Supple |
| Grape Blend | 100% Pinot Noir |
| Bottle Size (ml) | 750 |
| % Abv | 14 |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Extra Info | Silky, spicy, cherry-rich |
| Food Pairing Guide | This structured yet silky Pinot Noir is a wonderfully versatile food wine. It’s a classic match for roast duck, duck breast with cherry or plum sauce, or confit duck with lentils. It’s also lovely with roast chicken, guinea fowl or pheasant, and with pork tenderloin with mushrooms. Its spice and red fruit suit richer fish such as seared salmon, grilled tuna or hake with a red wine sauce. For heartier dishes, try beef bourguignon, coq au vin or venison with a juniper jus. Vegetarians could try a wild mushroom risotto, mushroom and thyme tart or beetroot with goat’s cheese. It’s also excellent with Comté, Gruyère or a soft, earthy cheese such as Brie de Meaux. Serve at around 16 to 18°C. |
Chamonix Reserve Pinot Noir is the wine on which this mountainside estate built its reputation as one of Franschhoek’s leading Pinot Noir producers. Chamonix sits high on the slopes above the Franschhoek Valley, where cool breezes temper the summer heat and stony, clay-rich soils give the wines their distinctive character. Only grapes from the estate’s own vineyards are used. Winemaker Neil Bruwer takes a careful, traditional approach, with whole berries fermented with wild yeasts in wood and concrete, then matured at length in French barriques. This release won Gold at South Africa’s Pinot Noir Challenge.
In the glass it is a bright ruby red, with an expressive nose of cherry, wild red berries and violets and hints of cinnamon and crushed black pepper. The palate is intense in flavour and firm in structure, yet the textures are mellow and round. It expands in the glass to an opulent, long and beautifully layered finish. It’s a serious, elegant Pinot Noir to enjoy with duck, game birds or mushroom dishes, and it should reach its peak with several more years in the bottle.
