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Pinot Noir Unlocked Brings A Wine Evening in Marylebone This Autumn
Pinot Noir Unlocked pairs five world-class Pinot Noirs with Champagne and Michelin-inspired canapés in an intimate Marylebone wine tasting experience.
If you enjoy discovering wine beyond the label, Pinot Noir Unlocked is one of London's most interesting tasting experiences this autumn. It takes place on September 23, October 14, October 21 and November 19, 2026.
Hosted by Encountr at Vinoly in Marylebone, the evening is built around one grape, five countries and five completely different expressions of Pinot Noir. You'll enjoy generous glasses of carefully selected wines paired with seasonal canapés prepared to complement every sip you take.
The evening begins with a Champagne welcome before taking you through France, Chile, New Zealand and Australia. It shows how climate, soil and winemaking traditions can completely change the character of the same grape variety.
Whether you're already passionate about wine or simply want a guided introduction to one of the world's most fascinating red grapes, this intimate private dining experience offers an evening that is as educational as it is enjoyable.
What is Pinot Noir Unlocked?
Most wine tastings focus on comparing different grape varieties. This experience does the opposite.
Every wine served during the evening is Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is a light-to-medium-bodied red wine grape known for its elegance, red fruit character and ability to clearly reflect where it is grown. That allows you to understand something much more interesting.
You discover how one grape can taste completely different depending on where it is grown. Climate, soil composition, elevation and local winemaking traditions all influence the finished wine. By tasting five Pinot Noirs side by side, you experience those differences much more clearly than you would during a traditional mixed tasting.
It's a format that appeals equally to experienced wine enthusiasts and those still developing their palate.
Everything included during the evening
The experience has been designed as a complete food and wine event.
Your evening begins with a welcome glass of Champagne before moving through five Pinot Noir wines served over multiple courses. Each wine is paired with seasonal canapés designed specifically to complement the flavours in the glass.
The private dining setting also encourages conversation, giving you time to appreciate each wine without feeling rushed between pours.
Five Pinot Noirs from five different wine regions
The tasting follows Pinot Noir across five internationally recognised wine-producing regions. Each bottle represents a different interpretation of the grape.
France: Mellot Destinea
The first stop is France's Loire Valley.
Produced by Joseph Mellot, one of the Loire’s longest-established wine families, Destinea comes from Sancerre. This is a region better known internationally for Sauvignon Blanc.
Here, Pinot Noir develops elegant red fruit flavours supported by bright acidity and subtle mineral character derived from the area's limestone soils.
This provides an excellent introduction to the evening because it demonstrates Pinot Noir's lighter, more delicate style.
France: Louis Jadot
The tasting then moves to Burgundy, the region most closely associated with Pinot Noir.
Louis Jadot has been producing Burgundian wines since the nineteenth century and remains one of the region's benchmark producers.
Expect greater complexity, earthy aromas, cherry fruit and the layered structure that has made Burgundy Pinot Noir the global reference point for the variety.
Chile: Errazuriz
The third wine takes you to Chile, where Errazuriz has become one of the country's most internationally recognised premium producers.
Depending on the vintage, the wine comes from either the Aconcagua Valley or Casablanca Valley. Both of these places are known for their cooler climates that suit Pinot Noir particularly well.
Compared with the French wines, Chilean Pinot Noir generally offers brighter red fruit, a little more generosity on the palate and a slightly fuller body while still maintaining freshness.
It provides an excellent contrast to the more restrained Old World expressions you've already tasted.
New Zealand: Esk Valley
The fourth glass comes from Hawke's Bay in New Zealand.
Although regions such as Marlborough and Central Otago often receive more attention for Pinot Noir, Hawke's Bay has quietly built a reputation for producing elegant wines with impressive depth and balance.
Esk Valley's interpretation introduces darker berry flavours, gentle spice and a silky texture that immediately distinguishes it from the earlier French wines.
By this stage of the tasting, you'll begin noticing how dramatically the same grape can change depending on where it is grown.
Australia: Cherubino
The evening concludes in Western Australia with Cherubino.
Created by acclaimed winemaker Larry Cherubino, these Pinot Noirs are known for precision, restraint and balance.
You'll find freshness, structure and refined fruit character that make it a fitting finale to the tasting.
Ending with Australia also reinforces one of the evening's central ideas. Great Pinot Noir is no longer limited to Burgundy. Outstanding examples are now being produced around the world.
Why Pinot Noir is one of the world's most fascinating grapes
There is a reason Pinot Noir inspires so much discussion among wine lovers.
It is widely regarded as one of the most expressive grape varieties. This is because it reflects its growing environment with remarkable clarity. Small differences in climate, rainfall, altitude or soil can produce noticeably different wines, even when the grape variety remains exactly the same.
That is what makes Pinot Noir Unlocked so engaging.
Moving from Loire Valley to Burgundy, then Chile, New Zealand and Australia allows you to experience those differences in a way that is immediate and memorable.
Whether you're relatively new to wine or already familiar with Pinot Noir, the format encourages you to notice details you might otherwise overlook.
Seasonal canapés with wine tasting
The seasonal canapés have been created under the direction of Executive Chef Rob Weston, whose career includes experience in several Michelin-starred kitchens across the UK.
The menu has been designed to complement the wines you will be tasting through the evening. Each canapé is matched to the characteristics of the wine being served, helping highlight acidity, fruit, texture or spice depending on the pairing.
This thoughtful approach allows both the food and wine to enhance one another throughout the evening.
About Encountr
Encountr has developed a reputation for creating carefully curated wine experiences across London.
Its events focus on smaller groups, generous pours, quality food pairings and venues that encourage genuine conversation.
Pinot Noir Unlocked follows a successful series of white wine tasting evenings and continues the same philosophy of combining education with relaxed hospitality.
The experiences are designed to make wine approachable while still offering plenty of depth for enthusiasts.
How to get to Vinoly
By Tube:
- Baker Street (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan lines) — approx. 5–10 minute walk
- Bond Street (Central, Elizabeth lines) — short walk
- Regent’s Park (Bakerloo line) — within walking distance
By Bus: Several routes serve Baker Street and Marylebone High Street, both a short walk from the venue
By Foot: Easily walkable from Oxford Street, Paddington, and Regent’s Park, making it a convenient central London location
Things to know before you book
A little planning will help you make the most of the evening:
- The experience is available on four separate dates between September and November, giving you flexibility if one evening is already sold out.
- At £139.99, your ticket includes a Champagne welcome, five generous Pinot Noir pours and all seasonal food pairings, making it a complete dining experience.
- Because capacity is intentionally limited, booking early is recommended.
Quick information
Experience: Pinot Noir Unlocked – A Wine Evening in Marylebone
Venue: Vinoly, Marylebone, London
Dates: September 23, October 14, October 21 and November 19, 2026
Price: From £139.99
Includes: Champagne welcome, five Pinot Noir wines and seasonal canapés
Organiser: Encountr
Tickets: Click here to book
Ever wanted to understand why Pinot Noir is considered one of the world's most expressive grape varieties?
This experience offers one of the most enjoyable ways to do it.
You'll taste five distinctive wines from five different wine regions, enjoy carefully matched seasonal food, and spend the evening in an intimate private dining setting where there's time to appreciate every glass.
Whether you're expanding your wine knowledge or simply looking for a memorable evening in London, Pinot Noir Unlocked gives you the chance to experience how one grape can tell five completely different stories.
London
Pinot Noir Unlocked - A Wine Evening in Marylebone
£139.99
