Send us a text Welcome back to The Wined Up. In this episode, we’re diving unapologetically unfiltered into one of New Zealand’s most exciting wine regions, Otago, with a blind tasting of Valli Wine’s Pinot Noirs from three very different sub regions. We line up Bendigo, Gibbston, and Waitaki without knowing what’s in the glass, focusing purely on texture, acidity, fruit, and how terroir really shows up in Pinot Noir. The big reveal happens later in the episode, and trust me, the results surprised even us. Before we get stuck into the reds, we start with a fresh and textured Pinot Gris and talk about how wine trends are shifting, especially in Australia. Heavy Shiraz is taking a back seat as more drinkers lean toward lighter, fresher styles like Pinot Noir, Prosecco, and spritz style wines. We also break down why Gen Z and Millennials are driving this change and what that means for the future of wine. We also sit down for our Thoughts of the Week, where we unpack five different types of acid in wine and how each one affects balance, freshness, and drinkability. If you’re curious about Otago wines, blind tasting, or how to actually taste Pinot Noir with confidence, this episode is for you. Like, comment, and subscribe for more real wine conversations, and follow us on social media for behind the scenes content and updates. Cheers. Subscribe to @thewinedup and comment on your favourite wine from Valli Wines👇 Check out the Valli Wine range at https://valliwine.com Follow Us on Instagram (The.Wined.Up) or TikTok (@thewinedup ). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au/ or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction and Blind Tasting Setup 00:55 Thoughts of the Week: Wine Trends 07:08 Understanding Wine Acidity 10:16 Exploring Ley Wines 13:53 Exploring Bali Wines 14:11 Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir Tasting 14:50 Meet the Winemakers 15:37 Wine Tasting Notes and Impressions 17:40 Blind Tasting Challenge 19:47 Understanding Otago Wine Regions 26:16 Final Thoughts and Recommendations #ValliWine #ValliPinotNoir #OtagoPinotNoir #CentralOtagowine #blindwinetasting #PinotNoirtasting #NewZealandwine #Otagowineregions #BendigoPinotNoir #GibbstonPinotNoir #WaitakiPinotNoir #PinotGristasting #winetrendsAustralia #wineacidityexplained #TheWinedUp #winepodcast #winereviewchannel Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au. Drink More, Try More, Learn More.