François Labet VDP Île de Beauté Pinot Noir 2023

Produced by François Labet (of Clos de Vougeot's Chateau de la Tour). this vibrant, versatile Mediterranean "Burgundy" oozes personality and value. The background story is that Labet has a holiday house in Corsica and over the years he had fallen in love with the region's rocky, high-altitude terroir. He had also recognised that there was a possibility that Pinot Noir could work in some of the more elevated sites on the island. So, when the opportunity arose to work with a local vigneron and friend to produce a Corsican Pinot, he didn't hesitate.The vineyard is located on the east coast of Corsica's Haute-Corse department at 400 m altitude, above the town of Ghisonaccia. Unlike his Burgundies, François Labet fully de-stems the fruit for this wine and then ages it in tank and one-third French oak before bottling. Labet's talent with Pinot is clearly on show here.

He has crafted a fabulous value that is both gluggable and engaging, both classic Pinot and at the same time offering a twist of something clearly Mediterranean. Its personality is equal parts French Pinot Noir (dark cherry, inky, floral), Mediterranean (spicy, earthy) and even Alpine (refreshing, tangy and medium bodied). But best to try it yourself; it should be bags of fun to play with.