Bouchard Pere & Fils Pommard 75cl

This is Pinot Noir with shoulders. Bouchard Père & Fils Pommard is a full-bodied(ish) Burgundy red that leans savoury and structured, built for food and for people who like their wine to have a little grip.

Pommard sits in the Côte de Beaune in Burgundy, France, and it’s famous for making Pinot Noir that feels darker, earthier, and more serious than the juicy, plush stuff. If your usual red is a lighter Pinot and you want the “grown-up” version, start here.

• Appearance: Deep ruby with a slightly darker core than many Pinot Noirs
• Nose: Sour cherry, wild strawberry, dried rose, plus that classic Burgundy “forest floor” earthiness
• Palate: Red fruit up front, then savoury spice and a mineral edge, with firmer tannins that actually show up
• Body: Medium to medium-full for Pinot Noir
• Finish: Long, dry, and gently smoky, with cherry skin and spice lingering

Food pairing (mandatory, and honestly the whole point here): pour this with roast duck, mushroom risotto, or steak frites, the savoury notes and tannins love anything browned and crispy.

When to open it: date-night dinner, hosting someone who says they “don’t really get Burgundy,” or any time you want a French red wine that doesn’t disappear next to food. Give it a little air in the glass, it opens up fast.

If you’ve been drinking easygoing Pinot Noir (think simple cherry-and-vanilla styles) and you’re curious what Burgundy is actually about, this is a confident next step. Same grape, way more depth.

Fun Fact: Bouchard Père & Fils has been making Burgundy since 1731, which is a polite way of saying they’ve had a lot of time to figure out how Pinot Noir is supposed to taste in Pommard.