£15.99, or £13.99 in any 6-bottle mix, Majestic
This is a best of both worlds Pinot Noir – cherry and raspberry perfume and fruit, gentle earthy sweetness, almondy spice and supple texture, making it Burgundian in style but with a touch more of the sweet fruit and flesh you find in new world Pinots. In fact it comes from neither place, but is made by a Burgundian, Laurent Delaunay, in the region he thinks has what it takes to make the best Pinot Noirs in France outside Burgundy. That place is Limoux in western Languedoc and more specifically in the south of Limoux around the village of Magrie, where Abbotts & Delaunay have 25 plots planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. If you’re a fan of Burgundy (but perhaps not the prices) and/or New Zealand Pinot Noir, give it a go. It works with game birds such as pheasant, as well as poultry, pork, lamb and salmon, but be careful not to overpower it with powerful stews, reductions or spices. That said, it held its own against some very lemony, butter-braised chicory accompanying miso-glazed salmon.
Abbotts & Delaunay Domaine de la Métairie d' Alon Pinot Noir Le Village 2015, Pays d'Oc, France
£15.99, or £13.99 in any 6-bottle mix, Majestic; Philglas and Swiggot