Gastronomic Pinot Noir Sparkling Wines

Pinot Noir plays a vital role in crafting English Sparkling wines, lending a vibrant red-fruit character, colour, and texture that make it an ideal companion with a variety of cuisines. 

At Rathfinny, our passion for Pinot Noir runs deep. At our Sussex home on the south-facing slopes of the Cradle Valley in the South Downs, Pinot Noir takes centre stage. It comprises over half of our annual harvest, and it is the grape we planted most extensively after seeing its potential to make world-class Sussex Sparkling. 

To mark the release of our signature Blanc de Noirs 2020, we’re hosting a special Pinot Noir Dinner Party and Canapé Evening at Rathfinny. In anticipation, we sat down with Executive Chef Chris Bailey, who oversees all Estate dining, to explore his approach to pairing Pinot Noir-led English Sparkling wines.

Tell us a bit about your food and wine pairing philosophy

“There are different ways to balance flavours as a chef; you can look for contrast or harmony. My ethos is to look for harmony as it gives interest through enhancement rather than challenging flavours, elevating our guests’ dining experience. When the ingredients complement each other and become more significant than the sum of their parts, we have created a good dish and experience.  

“As a chef at Rathfinny, I see our Sussex Sparkling as an additional ingredient, as I know that more often than not, it will be in the glass of our diners. By their nature, sparkling wines are more refined and delicate, with great freshness. So, if you pair this with rich and complex South Asian flavours, the wine can get lost, and the effervescence doesn’t pair well with the heat of the chilli. East Asian cuisine on the other hand, is more focused on finding a delicate balance between sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. Our fresh, Sussex PDO wines can play an active role here as an ingredient, helping me as a Chef find that balance and harmony. 

“At the Blanc de Noirs Canapé Reception, we have chosen to serve Korean fish cakes with coriander and basil as one of the canapés. It is a pairing I am looking forward to sharing, with the wine playing a similar role to a tangy dipping sauce.” 

What does Pinot Noir bring to English Sparkling wine? 

“Pinot Noir is a black-skinned variety, so it brings a fruit-forward flavour and texture to sparkling wines.

“In terms of flavour, it presents primarily red-fruit characteristics. For our Classic Cuvée 2018 – which is a Pinot Noir-led blend – this looks like red apple skins and red berries. Our Blanc de Noirs 2020, however, is richer, with juicy plum and a long, ripe cherry finish. 

“Due to the black skin, there is slightly more tannin which gives the wine greater structure and body meaning it is well suited to pairing with foods, rather than just drinking on its own.”

“Blanc de Noirs, in particular, has a lot more body compared to some of our other wines – it is really opulent. It can handle stronger, richer flavours like lighter red meats and game, thanks to its red fruit notes and tannins. The classic ‘forest-floor’ notes and lees ageing in our aged Pinot Noir sparkling also pair with umami that you find in ingredients like mushrooms.

“For the Pinot Noir Dinner Party to celebrate the launch of our Blanc de Noirs 2020, I have chosen to pair the wine with venison loin, smoked plum ketchup and peppercorn sauce. The Pinot Noir in the wine complements the sweet spice of the smoked plum and peppercorns, and the red fruits and texture are great with the red meat. Overall, this pairing is harmonious instead of contrasting which is exactly what I’m looking for.”

Our cool-climate English Sparkling Wines are really fresh. How does this impact your pairing choices?

“As you say, Sussex is a cool-climate wine region, producing naturally fresh wines with clean, vibrant acidity. This acidity refreshes the palate and acts almost like an ingredient—much like a squeeze of lemon enhances flavours in a dish without overpowering them. 

“Rathfinny wines are also low-dosage in style. This means they are really dry and have little sugar, which is perfect as a Chef if you are pairing them with savoury pairings as sweeter wines can be slightly cloying with delicate ingredients. 

“Our Sussex Sparkling pairs exceptionally well with umami-driven foods, with the acidity cutting through perfectly. For our canapé reception celebrating the launch of the Blanc de Noirs, we’ve paired Pevensey Blue croquettes with this wine. The creamy, umami depth of the blue cheese complements the red fruit notes and body of the Blanc de Noirs, while the acidity and low-dosage style cuts through the fats and invigorates the taste buds. In my view, this is a classic and harmonious pairing—blue cheese with fresh, red fruit-driven wines.”

How does our proximity to the sea impact your food pairings? 

“Firstly, we prioritise sourcing seasonal and local produce. The Estate is less than three miles from the English Channel, so we often feature seafood on our menus. Additionally, the sea breeze that sweeps through the Vineyard imparts a natural salinity to our wines, which pairs beautifully with seafood.

“We wanted to showcase one of our library wines for the Pinot Noir Dinner: the Classic Cuvée 2016. This Pinot Noir-dominant blend boasts remarkable freshness and subtle salinity. We’ve chosen to pair it with hand-dived scallop carpaccio, sea urchin, and grapefruit. 

“Scallops offer a rich, savoury depth that pairs beautifully with the body and structure Pinot Noir brings to this sparkling wine. The wine’s subtle sea-breeze influence perfectly complements the briny sweetness of the sea urchin, creating a harmonious pairing. The freshness of the wine works much in the same way as the acidic grapefruit, to cut through the oils of the scallop and olive oil to refresh the palate and enhance the experience.”