Review: Bellvale Pinot Noir 2019. $25 well spent

May 19, 2020

This Bellvale Pinot Noir 2019 is one of the best $25 Pinot Noir you’ll find in Australia. Period.

Crucially, this packs an intensity that isn’t normally found in $25 Pinot. Maybe Shiraz, but not expensive-to-produce, fickle, cool climate Pinot.

I credit the success here on the Ellis’ dry-grown, high-density, mature Gippsland vineyard. It’s clearly a prime block, the low yields delivering unwavering fruit intensity and wines that are probably too cheap in the scheme of thing.

Indeed this Pinot is sappy, mulchy and deadly serious. Pinosity plus. It’s mushroomy, spicy, the fruit clear and present, but the savoury form and tannins so unlike your typical light and fruity wine. It could do with a smidgen more generosity through the middle, but not at the expense of depth.

You can pay double the price and get less wine…

Best drinking: now to six years, but drink it early for mine. 17.8/20, 92/100. 13.8%, $25. Would I buy it? Worth a bottle.

2019, Gippsland, Pinot Noir, Value pick

Andrew Graham was once voted the 23rd most trusted wine critic on the planet. A WCA Journalism Young Gun now old hack with 25yrs as a buyer, judge, journalist, marketer and too much more.

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4 responses to “Review: Bellvale Pinot Noir 2019. $25 well spent”

John Pearce

May 20, 2020 at 10:01 am

Did you get the Quercus to try? I reckon that is an excellent wine at a decent price.
These guys fly under the radar a bit.

Reply
Andrew Graham

May 20, 2020 at 11:01 am

Haven’t got the Quercus yet. They massively fly under the radar.

Reply
Chris

August 19, 2020 at 8:47 am

I had this last night and loved it. I didn’t know of your review till later as I often go looking for reviews after the event to prevent too much expectation . I went searching for sub $25 PN and Dannys had this one at $22. You have nailed it with your words. It has supurb quality for the price and what i wrote down was ‘very pleasing mid palate but just slightly holds on from there to the end. I feel it misses a bit of a finish, a kick, a lingering to say ‘wow’. However at $22 this is what you say in your first line ‘one of the best in the country’. I normally don’t go the PN route in a big way but a mate in Sydney was frothing at the Yarra Valleys Gappled 2019 PN and I was damn lucky to get 4 botts. Now that one is sublime, and at $28, I am guessing could be worth two and a half times that much. There are great wines out there that’s for sure and it is nice to explore a little. As I say good is good.

Reply
1. Andrew Graham
  
  August 19, 2020 at 9:14 am
  
  I haven’t had the 19 Dappled yet but the 18 was excellent (and super value).
  
  Reply