Valli, Pinot Noir, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand 2020

Bannockburn sits at the heart of one of the wine world's most promising Pinot locations outside Burgundy, and this dark, fragrant yet intensely fruited wine drew our judges' attention not just for the panache of its fruit but also for its intensity, drive, structure and resonance. The blackberry and plum fruits you can find on the nose are almost brooding, and a far cry from the sometimes simple appeal of the region's pioneer Pinots. On the palate it is mouth-filling and deep with high-resolution focus; the acidity is neither trivial nor shrill; the tannins are soft, but carry a useful flavour print. It's after you swallow, though, that you come to appreciate its sinew and ligament, its inner seriousness and its sheer completeness. Very fine Pinot by any measure.

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