Cordero San Giorgio Pinot Nero Partu Riserva Oltrepò Pavese DOC 2020 (750ml) *

Lombardy's Oltrepò Pavese has long been Italy's stronghold for Pinot Nero, the grape most of the world knows as Pinot Noir, and this Riserva bottling from Cordero San Giorgio makes the case for it as a still red rather than a base for sparkling wine. The 2020 vintage, released under the Oltrepò Pavese DOC, is a varietal Pinot Nero built with some patience in mind, the Riserva designation pointing to extended aging before release.

Dark and brooding in the glass, it opens with black cherry and a savory thread of sage, the sort of herbal edge that keeps the fruit from turning sweet. The texture is silky up front, then tannins gather slowly toward the finish and lend a bit of grip, closing on licorice and a darker, almost medicinal blackberry note. Freshness carries throughout, and the varietal character comes through clearly. This is a lighter-framed, floral style meant for drinking on the earlier side rather than a wine to bury in the cellar.