Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023: Velvety Depth and Poise
Red 13% ABV ABV Valli
22 March 2026
Perfect dinner party wine
Brought this to a dinner party and everyone commented on it. It's got this lovely herby, spicy thing going on alongside the fruit that makes it really interesting to drink. The finish goes on forever too. Felt like a proper grown-up wine choice.
17 March 2026
Blown away honestly
I don't usually spend this much on wine but I saw it on a menu and ordered a glass first. So glad I did because I ended up tracking down a bottle. The blackberry and vanilla notes are beautiful and it's only 13% so you don't get that heavy boozy feeling. One of the best Pinots I've had this year.
17 February 2026
Good but pricey
Decent Pinot Noir, nice depth to it with the dark fruit and spice. But honestly at nearly £53 I expected to be a bit more blown away. I've had Central Otago Pinots at £35 that gave me just as much enjoyment. Would probably buy it on offer though.
11 January 2026
Great with a steak night
Picked this up after reading about Valli online and opened it for steak night. The spice and that almost graphite-y mineral taste at the end really stood up to the red meat. Fuller bodied than a lot of Pinots I've tried. Would definitely get again for a special dinner.
18 December 2025
Birthday treat that delivered
Got this as a birthday present to myself and wow, really glad I did. The dark fruit and chocolate thing going on is gorgeous, and the tannins are so smooth. At £52 it's not an everyday bottle but for a special occasion? Absolutely worth it.
18 October 2025
Impressive NZ Pinot
The wine shop guy steered me towards this when I said I wanted something from New Zealand that wasn't Sauvignon Blanc. Really rich plum and blackberry flavours without being over the top. Had it with lamb and it was a brilliant pairing.
8 October 2025
Solid but needed time to open up
First glass I thought it was a bit closed off and wasn't sure what the fuss was about. Left it for half an hour and it completely changed — way more expressive with dark chocolate and dried herbs coming through. Bit annoying when you just want to crack open a bottle and drink it straight away though.