Recently it seems I’ve been getting back into Pinot Noir. I’m not usually a big Pinot drinker as I usually enjoy warmer climate reds. That being said, living in Melbourne for a year meant I got my fair share, especially when it came to Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. I even went to the Pinot Palooza festival where I think I overdosed on this variety, and I’ve been on a break ever since.

The reason I’ve been getting into Pinot Noir more is largely external factors. My dad, who usually enjoys warmer climate reds too, has recently gotten into Pinot Noir, and one of my closest friends is obsessed. This means I have been drinking it a lot more, and I think I’ve finally gotten over my overdose because I am really enjoying it again!

Pinot Noir is from France, and so we had a lot of it when we were in Burgundy. I remembered how much I enjoyed it on this trip, especially because it is so light. I’ve realised it is actually the perfect red wine for summer, depsite being a cooler climate grape. You can pop it in the fridge if you want it to be really refreshing too! This wine is honestly so versatile, in the way you drink it but also in the different flavours that come from each region and winemaker. Despite being one of the oldest grapes on the planet, Pinot Noir keeps you guessing!

This duck isn’t dead in the water

So I bought a bottle of Pinot Noir a few weeks ago because I was hanging out with my dad, and I knew he was having a Pinot moment. I went to the bottle store and stood in front of the large selection of Pinots, and decided on the Dead Duck Pinot Noir 2016. Why you might ask? The name and label intrigued me. I thought it looked like something different and fun. Plus, my dad had recently been to Mornington so I thought it would be fun to show him a Yarra Valley wine.

The interesting thing about Dead Duck wines is that they showcase grapes from all around Victoria. They choose the grapes from the regions that they believe will provide them with the best flavours, and then they make the wines from those. They aren’t tied to one vineyard for all of their wines. This offers more variety and a great selection of fruit for them to work their magic on. It is definitely something different for winemaking, but with a name like Dead Duck, you know there has to be a story!

Their Pinot Noir comes from the Yarra Valley which is well known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I’m usually very biased towards the Mornington Peninsula over the Yarra Valley when drinking wine because I enjoyed visiting it more. However, it is always good to try new things, and there is a reason that the Yarra Valley is so famous! I am sure the Dead Duck team chose grapes from here for a reason.

Why I loved it

I love this Pinot Noir because it is quite subdued. That might come across as weird, but I liked that it didn’t have any punchy flavours. Some Pinot Noirs are overwhelming in their fruity flavours, and sometimes I want something more subtle.

There was definitely a fruity flavour to this wine but nothing acidic, so think more berries. In fact, this wine didn’t have much of a kick of tannins at all, which made it quite easy to drink. The flavour lingered in your mouth for a little bit, but not long enough that you tasted it for long between sips. It is sometimes hard to find subdued red wines, so the wine is surprising.

What to pair it with

This wine would go very well with food, but I actually think nothing too heavy. It would go well with some cured meats and cheeses, or even a light Italian dish! Anything too heavy and I think the flavour would be lost, as the wine is so subtle.  So don’t pair it with your traditional Pinot Noir foods like French cuisine!

If I were to pair it with cheese, I think a blue cheese would complement the berry flavours in the wine. I know blue cheese can be quite heavy, but if you got the right one I think this would be perfect.

Final verdict

This wine was a great Pinot Noir if you’re after something not too heavy. I also think it is a great option if you aren’t usually a Pinot Noir drinker. The best thing about it though is the price. It can be hard to find a good Pinot Noir below $20. Usually, I wouldn’t say they are mid-week drinking wines. However, this one was absolutely delicious and coming in at around $17 a bottle it is a steal!