Astoria, Caranto Pinot Noir, 2024
Astoria, Caranto Pinot Noir, 2024
- 75cl
- 12.5%
- Red Still
- Pinot Noir
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2028
North-east Italy isn't the first place you'd look for Pinot Noir, but Astoria's Caranto is one of those quietly satisfying finds that makes you glad someone bothered. The Veneto's cooler pockets are kinder to the grape than people assume, and here it shows: bright, crunchy red fruit — strawberry, raspberry — with a touch of earthy spice and the kind of fresh, light structure that makes a bottle disappear without much ceremony.
This is unashamedly a wine for drinking, not contemplating. Serve it slightly cool and it works beautifully with summer food; pour it at room temperature alongside a winter casserole and it holds its own there too. Meaty fish like tuna is another option that earns its place.
This is a wine that's already at its best and showing everything it intends to show. The primary red fruit is bright and vivid right now, and that's the headline act.
Tasting Notes
AppearancePale, translucent ruby with a pink-tinged rim — exactly what you'd want from a young, light-footed Pinot Noir.
NoseOpen and immediately inviting, with strawberry and raspberry up front and a faint earthy undertone that stops it feeling simple. There's a floral lift too — dried rose petal — that gives it a little elegance above its station.
PalateLight-bodied with soft tannins and enough acidity to keep things lively. The red fruit is crunchy rather than jammy — this is a wine that refreshes rather than sates. A gentle spice note adds just enough texture to make it interesting.
FinishClean, fruity, and short — but that's no criticism when the whole wine is built around immediacy.
Overall impressionAn honest, cheerful Pinot Noir that punches well above its price point for easy, versatile drinking.
Food Pairings
In the Treviso hills, this kind of light red would traditionally find itself alongside bigoli in salsa — the thick wholemeal pasta with anchovy and onion sauce that's a Veneto staple. A plate of affettati misti, cold cuts of salame and prosciutto, would be equally at home. Locally, it would also be poured with risotto al radicchio di Treviso, the bitter, braised chicory that grows nearby and has just enough savouriness to match the wine's earthy edge. In summer, it would be chilled down and set out alongside grilled lake fish or a simple vitello tonnato.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 14-15°C — cooler than you might instinctively go for a red, but this wine is at its most refreshing with a slight chill on it. No need to decant; it's ready the moment the cork comes out. A standard Burgundy-style glass works well, giving the nose room to open without overwhelming a wine of this weight.
The Caranto vineyards sit in the Treviso hills of the Veneto, where the proximity to the Dolomites brings cooler nights that help Pinot Noir retain its characteristic freshness and bright acidity. Soils in this part of north-east Italy tend to be a mix of clay and alluvial deposits, offering reasonable drainage without stripping the wine of fruit. The continental climate, moderated by alpine influence, is what makes growing a thin-skinned, cool-preferring grape like Pinot Noir feasible here at all.
Caranto is produced as a Veneto IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica), a broad and flexible designation that covers much of north-east Italy and allows producers to work with grape varieties outside the stricter DOC rules. This gives Astoria the freedom to grow Pinot Noir without the constraints of, say, a Valpolicella or Soave appellation. The IGT classification is often a signal that a producer is doing something a little different — working with international varieties or experimental styles that wouldn't fit neatly into the established DOC framework.
FAQs
What does Astoria Caranto Pinot Noir taste like?
It's light, fresh, and fruity — crunchy strawberry and raspberry with a touch of earthy spice and a clean, lively finish. This is Pinot Noir in its most approachable, refreshing form rather than anything weighty or complex.
When should I drink this wine?
Now, without hesitation. The 2024 vintage is already in its prime and will stay there until around 2028.
What food works well with this wine?
It's a genuinely versatile food wine. Serve it cool in summer with cold cuts, grilled fish, or a vitello tonnato. In winter, pour it alongside a casserole or a simple pasta dish. Meaty fish like tuna is a less obvious pairing that works surprisingly well.
How should I serve it?
Slightly cooler than room temperature — around 14-15°C. Pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes before opening. No need to decant; it's ready immediately. A standard wine glass is fine, though a wider Burgundy bowl will give the nose a little more room.
Why does Pinot Noir come from north-east Italy?
It's not the most obvious place for it, but the cooler corners of the Veneto — influenced by the Dolomites to the north — give Pinot Noir the chill it needs to stay fresh and aromatic. It's been grown in the region for longer than most people realise, and at this price point, Astoria's version makes a compelling case for taking it seriously.
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