2020 and 2021 being what it is, we need to reflect on what truly sparks joy in our lives. And for many of us there are two things we truly miss:

carelessly going out with friends for drinks and delicious food we do not cook or wash up (at least 10% of the pleasure lies there!)
dreaming of the next exciting destination for our holiday

Who said you cannot travel from home though?

First step of planning a trip: get a great travel guide, one that can suggest places you might not have thought of and ensure you do not miss out the best.

One of our favourites is not the classic Lonely Planet as such, but the grape variety of Pinot Noir. This variety could take you to visit the gentle slopes of Burgundy to the rolling hills of Canterbury in New Zealand or perhaps even a stop off on the Coast of South Africa.

The 18th of August is International Pinot Noir day, so we invite you to follow its trail across the world, off the beaten track.

We have made a few suggestions above, but Pinot Noir has other jewel terroirs for you to get hooked on. Follow the guide!

Pinot noir is grown all around the world, mostly in the cooler climates, and can produce red wines as well as sparkling white wines (almost 40% of the sparkling category!).

It is a highly difficult grape to work with because of its thin skin and dense grape cluster. Despite the trouble, it is truly a gem of a wine with its fruity charm and luscious sensuality.

Now the second question is where will your guide take you this August? What kind of trip do you want to do?

Today we are taking you on an exciting blind tasting date to meet Pinot Noir from different terroirs.

1

The first option is Viña Casa Silva Reserva Pinot Noir grown in the Colchagua Valley, Chile.

Think of that bottle as the old friend you lost touch with after high school. You meet again after years being apart and share many joyful memories. Drinking this wine is the same, a cheerful moment with long-lost friends.

To reunite with your youth, get in touch with EaseScent!

2

Second option, we remain in the Colchagua valley with Casa Amada Pinot Noir but this time it is not a long-lost friend, it is a family get-together.

Now, close your eyes and let all your other senses enjoy the moment. You smell (and taste!) the delicious food your mother has prepared. Around you, all the generations of the family are gathered, and your ears are filled with the laughter of the adults mixing with the joyful shouts of the children running riot.

To enjoy some family time in a bottle, get in touch with CWS!

3

Third option, and oh my you are in for a treat! With Viña Casa Silva Cool Coast Pinot Noir, you have a wine made from the coastal area of the Colchagua Valley.

This is a trip to the unknown… You do not know this person, never met before, but it is love at first sight.

Extremely elegant, with soft manners, great conversational skills and a witty sense of humour, you enjoy everything about this wine. The two of you continue the evening with a simple grilled fish, a fancy duck breast, or even an exotic wild ostrich steak! (told you we would travel!)

To meet this unique and exciting person, get in touch with CWS!

4

For the Fourth blind date, we go to the other side of the Pacific Ocean, to New Zealand’s Blind River region with Tinpot Hut Pinot Noir.

This is not one person, but three of them! All very different, complementing each other and creating great chemistry with your friendly group.

One brings juiciness and sweetness to the party, the other balances it out with oaky and toasty notes, and the last bridges both with savoury earthy notes. The balance is ideal, tannins are silky, and you know all your friends are enjoying this wine.

Would like to know more about Tinpot Hut? Get in touch with us!

5

The last blind date are two Pinot Noir’s from Patagonia, on both sides of the Andes: Viña Casa Silva Lago Ranco Pinot Noir from Chile and Verum by Verum from Argentina.

If you had to picture them, imagine the more discreet but witty sibling of a very radiant person you felt more attracted to at first, but the sibling is now emerging to be as interesting and complex but in a totally different way!

Hopefully this speaks to you, but it is a bit like Loki and Thor, you start by loving the latter, before actually feeling the first is more interesting.

Interested in those two wines? Get in touch with us!

So where and with who are you going to travel next?

Did you know that Pinot Noir is the best travel guide?