Red Angel Pinot Nero, Jermann 2020 75cl

Pinot Noir grown in the far north-east of Italy is a rare thing, and Jermann's Red Angel makes a persuasive case for it. This is a supple, perfumed take on the grape that owes as much to the cool Friulian hills as it does to any Burgundian template.

Jermann are best known as white winemakers, which makes this red something of an insider's pick. The estate lies in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where the Alpine foothills fall towards the Adriatic and the diurnal swing keeps aromatics fresh and tannins fine. Pinot Nero, as the Italians call it, has quietly found a home here, and the 2020 vintage gave ripe fruit with the acidity intact.

Expect red cherry and wild strawberry on the nose, with a savoury undertow of dried herbs, forest floor and a little sweet spice from measured oak. The palate is medium-bodied and juicy, with soft, silky tannins and a bright seam of acidity that keeps it lively rather than heavy. The finish is clean and gently earthy.

At around £35 this is an honest, food-friendly Pinot rather than a cellar trophy, and it delivers on exactly those terms. Drink it now and over the next three or four years, lightly chilled if the weather is warm. It is the kind of red that flatters a midweek dinner without demanding much fuss.

How to Serve

Serve at 14–16°C, a touch cooler than most reds, in a Burgundy-style glass. Thirty minutes in a decanter lifts the perfume.

Where to Drink It

Trullo in Highbury has the right cooking for it. Bocca di Lupo pours thoughtful Italian reds. Padella nearby is an easy, happy match.

Food Pairings

Lovely with mushroom risotto or roast duck. Also a fine partner for grilled salmon.