Pomino Pinot Nero, Frescobaldi 2023 75cl

Pinot Nero in Tuscany sounds like a contradiction, until you find out where Pomino sits. This is a high, cool corner of the hills east of Florence, tucked into the eastern edge of Chianti — limestone and marl soils, a breezy microclimate, and enough elevation to hold onto acidity. That is what lets Pinot behave itself here.

The Pomino estate has belonged to the Frescobaldi family since the 1500s, and they have quietly grown Burgundian varieties here for well over a century. This is not Tuscany trying to be Burgundy — it is its own thing, and better for it.

The colour is a lively ruby with garnet at the rim. The nose leads with flowers — rose and geranium — before black cherry arrives, dusted with cinnamon; time in wood adds a whisper of cocoa and coffee. On the palate it is fresh and dry, the tannins present but polite, closing on a juicy, persistent finish. Velvety is the word the estate uses, and it fits.

At £31.99 this is a genuinely interesting bottle — an elegant, cool-climate Pinot from an unexpected address, and a lovely conversation starter for anyone who thinks Italy only does Sangiovese. Drink it over the next three or four years.

How to Serve

Serve lightly chilled, around 13–15°C — cooler than you would a Chianti. A Burgundy-shaped bowl flatters the perfume. No decanting needed.

Where to Drink It

Noble Rot Lamb's Conduit Street, where cool-climate reds are the house language. Planque in Haggerston for its cellar-led approach. Bentley's for a lighter red with the raw bar.

Food Pairings

Roast duck breast with cherries plays directly to its fruit. Otherwise, mushroom risotto — the earthy, savoury edge is made for it.