Here’s the third installment of The Wine Chef’s December "Advent Calendar" wine series.

Grosjean Vallée d’Aoste Pinot Noir 2022 ($32)

I became intrigued by Grosjean wines in 2018 when I first tasted their Gamay wine. I was dining solo at Dillà, a charming little restaurant in Rome that serves delicious food (if you go, order the artichokes!). The waiter poured me a taste of the wine, and there was no going back. It was light-bodied yet packed with flavor—just delicious.

A month later, back in New York City, I was thrilled to see that same wine on the menu at the now defunct Aureole and couldn’t resist ordering it again. Since then, I’ve tried several Grosjean wines, and they’re all as good as that first Gamay. Today, I’m recommending their Pinot Noir because I recently tried it and loved it. Also, it may be easier to find in the U.S. than some of their other wines.

Grosjean Vallée d’Aoste Pinot Noir 2022 is a real treat! The wine’s many nuances reflect its alpine origins in the Vallé d’Aoste region of northeastern Italy. Light in color and body, this beauty will shower you with notes of red berries (raspberry and strawberry), rhubarb, red cherry, and a tiny hint of earthiness—think wet leaves and mushrooms. All that goodness is wrapped up in a zingy, mouthwatering acidity and salinity that pairs beautifully with food. Try it with a garlicky bouillabaisse or chicken in a mushroom sauce or, as I did, with roasted cod marinated in a sesame honey vinaigrette.

A Word on Place

Valle d'Aosta is Italy’s smallest wine region, known for its stunning mountain snow-capped peaks and rich history. The region has been inhabited since ancient times, and its stunning countryside is dotted with medieval castles and fortresses. This area used to be a part of France and Switzerland (it became a part of Italy in 1861), so you’ll hear French and Italian spoken here. ‘Vallée d’Aoste’ is the French spelling, and as you can see on the bottle, the words are in French

Find Grosjean Pinot Noir on wine-searcher.com.

Cheers to discovering new favorites!