Seemingly an unusual variety to grow in Jordan, but Omar Zumot did not believe in the impossible and experimented with hard-to-grow varietals such as Pinot Noir. The results blew everyone away.
Tasting Notes
Pinot Noir is famously difficult and famously intolerant of heat, which makes it an unlikely choice for Jordan. The winds coming from the west made the skins thicker and more resilient than their European counterparts, and that extra skin is what gives the wine its colour and grip. Expect bright red fruit carried on the fine tannins the variety is known for, with the savoury edge that altitude and wind give it here.
Quick Facts
- Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
- Origin: Jordan (clay, limestone and basalt soils)
- Style: Dry red, medium bodied, certified organic
- Viticulture: Certified organic, yields held under two tonnes per hectare
Food Pairing
Roast chicken, duck, salmon, mushroom dishes, and soft cheeses.
Serving
Serve at 14 to 16°C. Twenty minutes in the fridge before pouring if the room is warm.
About the Producer
Saint George is the wine of Omar Zumot, whose father Bulos founded the family drinks company in 1954. The name comes from the church of Saint George at Madaba, beside which Omar planted his first vineyard using vines brought from France. The estate now farms three sites: Madaba on clay and limestone, Souf in the mountains of Jerash at 1,150 metres, and the principal vineyard at Sama al-Sarhan on the Syrian border, where basalt thrown out by the extinct volcano of Jabal Druze layers the soil and changes every half metre. All are certified organic. Sheep graze between the rows, irrigation comes from carp ponds that enrich the water with nitrate, and yields are held below two tonnes per hectare, around a quarter of the world average.
