Walt Pinot Noir 2023 – A Step Up in the Journey

Tonight felt like one of those small but important moments in this whole wine journey. Not because the wine completely blew me away, but because it made me stop and rethink something I’d already scored. That’s when you know your palate is starting to sharpen.

This was the Walt Pinot Noir 2023, picked up for £10, so already we’re in that space where expectations are realistic but there’s always hope for something a bit more.

First Impressions in the Glass

Straight away, this looked the part.

There’s a really nice vibrant ruby core, but what caught my attention was the slight garnet fade around the rim. For such a young wine, that gives it a bit of intrigue. It’s not tired in any way, still fresh and lively, but there’s just a hint of depth there visually that makes you think there might be more going on.

The Nose – Not Obvious, But Interesting

On the nose, this is where things got a bit different.

I wasn’t getting clear, obvious fruits. No immediate cherry or strawberry jumping out, which you might expect at this level. Instead, it leaned more into raisins and a touch of leather.

At first, that can feel a bit confusing. You almost question whether you’re missing something. But actually, this is where it gets interesting. It felt more like an impression rather than a clear-cut fruit profile, and that’s often a sign you’re dealing with something a bit more layered.

The Palate – Where It Comes Alive

In the glass, everything started to make sense.

There’s definitely red fruit there, but it’s not overly bright or sweet. It sits alongside this subtle umami edge which gives it a savoury feel, and that’s what really elevates it beyond a simple fruit-forward Pinot.

The tannins are what impressed me most. They’re silky, present, but completely controlled. The best way I could describe it is like a softer version of cranberry juice. You feel that slight grip, but it never turns drying or aggressive. It just supports the wine rather than taking over.

And the finish hangs around nicely. Not just a quick drop-off, but enough length to make you stop and take notice.

A Bit of a Reality Check

This is where things got interesting for me.

I’ve recently reviewed the Pebble Lane Pinot, and I rated that quite highly at the time. But tasting this has made me pause and think.

This Walt feels:

• More composed
• More elegant
• More complete

Not necessarily more enjoyable in a loud or obvious way, but structurally better. And that’s a big distinction I’m starting to understand more.

It’s the difference between liking a wine and recognising its quality.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t a wine that shouts at you. It doesn’t overwhelm you with fruit or try too hard to impress. Instead, it just quietly delivers balance, texture and a bit of complexity, which at £10 is seriously good value.

For me, this sits comfortably at 89 points on a quality basis, and if you factor in the price, you could easily make a case for pushing that a touch higher.

More importantly, it’s one of those wines that moves the journey forward. It’s made me rethink a previous score, and that’s probably more valuable than anything else.

That’s what this is all about.