Castillo de Monjardín Pinot Noir El Cerezo 2023

Bodegas Castillo de Monjardín sits in central Navarra, at the foot of the Pyrenees near Villamayor de Monjardín, an area whose French history shaped its preference for varieties such as Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir. The altitude and the cool Atlantic and mountain influence give long, slow ripening and a wide diurnal swing, with warm days and cold nights that preserve acidity and aromatic detail in a thin-skinned, demanding grape like Pinot Noir. The wine is aged nine months in French oak, enough to add a fine cedar and spice frame and to soften the tannins through gentle oxygen exchange while keeping the fruit fresh. The colour is a light to medium ruby. The nose shows red cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry, with an earthy, undergrowth note and a touch of clove and vanilla from the barrel. The palate is medium bodied, with bright acidity, silky fine tannin and a savoury, slightly mushroomy length that is true to cool-climate Pinot. The 2023 is approachable young but has the balance to hold. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees, ideally decanted briefly. Good with roast duck, poultry and mushroom dishes.