Le Pinot Noir — Provence Red by La Mongestine via Clapton Craft

Pinot Noir from Provence. Not a sentence you hear often, and that's exactly why this is interesting. Domaine de la Mongestine grows their Pinot at 450 metres on north-facing limestone slopes — some of the highest vineyards in the appellation — producing a red wine with elegance, depth, and a freshness that warm-climate Pinot rarely achieves.

High altitude changes everything

Most Provençal wine comes from low, sun-drenched vineyards designed for rosé. La Mongestine is different. Their 31 hectares sit on north-facing clay and limestone slopes rising to 450 metres in the Coteaux du Verdon. That altitude means cooler temperatures, slower ripening, and grapes that hold their acidity instead of baking it away. The result is a Pinot Noir with the fruit expression of a warm climate and the structure and freshness of somewhere much cooler. It's genuinely unusual.

Elegant, deep, and properly made

Fermented in stainless steel with native yeasts, then aged in third and fourth-pass French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. That oak regime adds complexity without overwhelming the fruit — no vanilla bomb here. The wine has real elegance and depth, with the kind of balance that comes from careful, minimal-intervention winemaking. Bottled with minimal sulphur. This is Pinot Noir made by people who respect the grape.

Organic vineyards going biodynamic

Domaine de la Mongestine has been certified organic since 2014 and is currently transitioning to biodynamic viticulture. Their grapes are handpicked from those high-altitude hillside plots, fermented with native yeasts, and handled with minimal intervention throughout. It's the kind of careful, thoughtful winemaking that Clapton Craft looks for — and exactly the kind of wine we want on our shelves. Browse more natural reds in our red wine collection.

About Clapton Craft

This is Clapton Craft at their best — finding a wine that rewrites what you think a region can do. Provence means rosé to most people. La Mongestine's Pinot Noir proves it can mean so much more. That ability to see past the obvious is what makes Clapton Craft one of the UK's most trusted natural wine curators. Also from Clapton Craft at Natty: Marzemino Rosso Frizzante and Cantine Ermes Carricante. See the full Clapton Craft range.

When to open Le Pinot Noir

This is a proper dinner wine. Roast chicken, duck, mushroom dishes, soft cheeses — anything with earthy, savoury depth. Give it 20 minutes of air and serve at around 16°C. It also rewards a quiet evening on its own when you want something thoughtful in your glass. For food pairings, browse our deli snack selection.

Bristol same-day delivery & UK shipping

Provençal Pinot Noir, Bristol doorstep, tonight. Order before 2pm and we deliver same-day across BS1–BS16 for £3.50 (free over £40). Or collect from our Willway Yard bottle shop in BS3, open Fridays and Saturdays. UK-wide in two days at £8.50 (free over £80). Check our delivery and collection options.

Frequently asked questions

"