Mark Shipway recommends: Pinot Noir

Domaine de l'Aigle Pinot Noir 2018

Although for the majority of wine drinkers, French pinot noir is virtually synonymous with red Burgundy, such unilateral thinking can deny us from discovering the increasingly good examples of this grape from some of France’s less likely wine-growing zones. Perhaps the most counterintuitive of these for successful production of a cool climate variety, is tucked away in the Mediterranean influenced region of Languedoc-Roussillon. The rationale becomes less obscure when we learn that these particular vineyards are located high in the cooler foothills of the Pyrenean mountain range near the sleepy town of Limoux - Domaine de l'Aigle itself has vines planted up to 500 meters.

The ‘Domain of the Eagle’ is one of 11 properties under the family ownership of ex-ruby star turned Languedoc winemaking pioneer, Gérard Bertrand. Gérard inherited his original family estate in 1987 after the untimely death of his father. Since then, he has been on a quest to highlight the great terroirs of Languedoc-Roussillon to wine lovers across the globe. The underlying philosophy behind this is an evolving attention to excellence in all aspects of production, particularly the vineyard, with all the properties including Domaine de l'Aigle being farmed using the principles of biodynamic agriculture.

This pinot noir from the 2018 vintage clearly shows both the influence of southern warmth and that of mountain freshness; in terms of style, it seems to sit somewhere between Burgundy and Russian River Valley but with its own unique Mediterranean twist. The wine opens with a blast of dried savoury herbs followed by fresh, ripe raspberries intertwined with smoky, spicy, even earthy flavours. The fruit on the palate is bold but it avoids being brash and there is a lovely juxtaposition between silky texture and a fine grip persisting through the finish meaning this wine could age a bit - if indeed, you could resist the urge to drink it all now. Domaine de l'Aigle Pinot Noir strikes a happy balance between old world and new. Drink for fun or with food. I certainly did both and found it worked great with mushroom risotto, some aged Piave - vecchio (from Les Amis du Fromage) and great company. Enjoy!

Coming soon to your neighborhood wine shop, like Marquis Wine Cellars for around $39.00.

Mark Shipway, DipWSET

​Mark is a UK born Vancouver based wine & spirits professional. Considered one of Vancouver’s top wine educators, Mark is a certified sommelier, the education chair for the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers BC Chapter and the lead instructor with the Wine Scholar Guild.