International Pinot Noir Day is celebrated on August 18, a day wine lovers raise a glass to one of the most beloved, haunting, and complex red wine grapes on the planet. Old World and New World vintners love Pinot Noir for its elegance and terroir-driven expression, making the work with this challenging ancient varietal worthwhile. Wine aficionados love it for its silky tannins, bright acidity, pure red fruit, earthy notes, and finesse.

To mark Pinot Noir day, Westgarth Wines had the pleasure of speaking with Matthieu Mangenot, Head Winemaker at Domaines Albert Bichot, the historic Burgundy wine estate founded in 1831. Based in Beaune, the family-owned house is renowned for its dedication to quality and sustainability across six domaines in key Burgundy appellations. Joining Albert Bichot in 2007, agronomist and oenologist Matthieu manages vineyard and winemaking practices and is a driving force behind the estate’s sustainable approach in the vineyard and minimal-intervention philosophy in the cellar. He shared his insights on what’s ahead for this classic grape, adapting to global warming to preserve the pedigree of Burgundian Pinot Noir, and a delicious food pairing idea.

What’s exciting you most about Pinot Noir at present and for the future?

Pinot Noir is a sensitive and thin-skinned variety that fully expresses its aromatic precision and structural elegance under moderate ripening conditions, such as those found in the terroirs of Burgundy. In recent vintages, increasingly ripe phenological profiles have led to wines of great quality, yet with deeper extraction, higher color intensity, and firmer tannic frameworks. Maintaining the equilibrium between finesse and tannin load, while preserving fruit purity and varietal typicity in a context of climatic warming, represents one of the most stimulating and complex challenges for contemporary viticulture and enology.

How is climate change influencing your vineyard and cellar practices?

Winegrowers have always adapted to change – whether climatic or otherwise – by gradually adjusting their practices over time. We are no exception to this natural evolution. For instance, we modify our approach to leaf thinning and our selection of plant material at planting, or in the winery, we adapt extraction profiles through a reasoned alternation of punch-downs and pump-overs. The use of alternative vessels to traditional barrels for aging is also an approach we are exploring to help preserve the freshness of our wines.

Do you think the style of Albert Bichot Pinot Noir will change because of climate change?

The influence of sunlight and temperature on the style of Pinot Noir wines is undeniable when compared to wines produced in the 1950s: Phenolic ripeness is now more complete, and color intensity more pronounced – enhancing the expression of the diverse 'climats' of our region. Through our adaptations – such as clonal and rootstock selection, harvest timing, vinification techniques, and aging methods – we strive to preserve the uniquely balanced profile that has earned Burgundy’s great Pinot Noirs their worldwide reputation.

What’s your top food pairing suggestion with your favorite Pinot Noir?

Without a doubt, one of my favorite Pinot Noirs is the Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Château Gris. This unique 3.5-hectare vineyard is entirely terraced, planted on shallow soils where the limestone bedrock lies just beneath the surface. It yields wines with a magnificent bouquet of spices and dark fruits, supported by velvety, indulgent tannins. A perfect pairing would be a simply seared duck breast on the plancha, served with summer vegetables such as grilled zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes – an elegant and flavorful match for a wine of such depth and character.

• Originated in Burgundy, France, over two millennia ago
• Famed as a thin-skinned, difficult grape to cultivate
• Over 50 clones of Pinot Noir, with the Dijon clones the most famous
• Related to Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Meunier
• Burgundy Pinot Noir is the global benchmark with an elegant, complex, silky profile
• California Pinot Noir spans lean to bold styles
• Oregon's Willamette Valley is celebrated for its Burgundy-style
• German Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) is light with a delicate oak influence
• Central Otago, New Zealand, makes bold, fruit-layered expressions
• Australia styles range from light to rich with floral hints

Photos: @domainesalbertbichot

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