2025 Hautes Pistes Pinot Noir, Aubert and Mathieu

Aubert & Mathieu are two friends who set up shop in 2018 with a simple idea: make honest, eco-conscious wine in the south of France and be transparent about it. Hautes Pistes is their Pinot Noir, grown high up in the Pyrenean foothills on clay-and-iron soils — altitude they chase deliberately, because it keeps a grape like Pinot fresh in a warm region.

The result is a southern French Pinot that drinks with a cool-climate accent. It pours dark red with a purple tint. The nose is fresh raspberry and small red fruits, a note of morello cherry, and an intriguing whiff of grilled tea leaf. The palate is light, savoury and lively — delicate on its feet but with enough substance to satisfy. This is unfussy, well-farmed Pinot at a fair price, and a good introduction to what the grape can do in the Languedoc.

Drink it young, over the next two or three years, with a slight chill.

How to Serve

Serve at 14–16°C in a Burgundy glass. A light chill suits this savoury, delicate red; no decant, just a few minutes' air.

Where to Drink It

Dandy on Maltby Street for a low-key, wine-led evening. Or P. Franco in Clapton, which pours plenty in this honest, chillable style.

Food Pairings

Roast chicken, or a plate of charcuterie. It's also lovely, slightly chilled, with grilled salmon.