Coal Pit 'Tiwha' Pinot Noir 2023 is the flagship red from Coal Pit's organic single vineyard in Gibbston, Central Otago, with black plum skin, sour cherry and star anise over a stony mineral line. It was rated 96 POINTS by Cameron Douglas MS and Sam Kim of Wine Orbit. A great wine for everyone who likes complex, savoury pinots.
In the glass it first reveals aromas of shaded woodland and forest floor, lifted by dried rose petal, bay leaf, black olive and toasted cinnamon spice. Coal Pit describe it as elegant and restrained.
This is a wine for those of us who enjoy a layered, fine-boned Pinot Noir that rewards attention. It is a great match for game, mushroom and truffle dishes, and a special weekend wine.
The name Tiwha is Coal Pit's tribute to owner Rosie Dunphy's late father.
What it tastes like
The wine has a taut, bramble-edged palate, with finely grained tannins giving quiet structure and subtle oak sitting in the background. The flavours carry through to a long, resonant finish, and the wine gains breadth and nuance with air, so give it time by swirling it in the glass. Cameron Douglas, MS found a chalky feel to the tannins and a seam of wild thyme, while Sam Kim described it as seductive, with finesse and poise. It's delicious.
Style at a glance
- Body: medium-bodied, with plenty of texture
- Sweetness: dry (under 1 g/L residual sugar)
- Acidity: fresh, giving the wine backbone and poise
- Tannin: finely grained, with a chalky feel
- Oak: 10 months in French oak, 30% new; it adds gentle spice and structure without taking over
- Style: savoury, elegant, mineral, organic
Food to enjoy this with
- Seared venison with a red wine and juniper jus
- Mushroom risotto finished with truffle oil
- Roast duck breast with cherries
- Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with rosemary
- Wild rabbit or hare pappardelle
- Something unexpected: duck bao with black vinegar and plum sauce, the match chosen by Coal Pit owner Rosie Dunphy. The plum sauce picks up the black plum fruit, and the fresh acidity cuts through the richness of the duck.
Who makes it
Coal Pit is a family vineyard in Gibbston owned by Rosie Dunphy. Rosie studied viticulture in Sydney and later at Plumpton College in England, and in 2000, while living in Ireland, she learnt the vineyard was for sale and moved home with her husband and four children to pursue her dream of making world-class wine. She built the on-site winery in 2007, and her son Hugo Dunphy is a director. The name comes from the old Coal Pit saddle in the mountains nearby, where early pioneers, musterers and gold miners collected coal.
The property covers 12 hectares on warm, north-facing slopes looking toward the Crown Range and the Kawarau River. Its 7 hectares of vines date back to 1994, some of the oldest in Gibbston, and are planted on glacially formed, schist-based soils. The vineyard is certified organic, and Coal Pit is one of the few single vineyards in Gibbston where the grapes are grown, handpicked and made into wine on site.
Winemaker and General Manager Anika Willner joined Coal Pit for the 2018 vintage, after vintage experience in Oregon, Australia, Germany, South Africa, Burgundy and New Zealand. She lives on the vineyard, has driven its move to organic growing, and in 2021 Cameron Douglas, MS named her one of New Zealand's Young Winemakers to Watch.
For the 2023 vintage, clones 115, 10/5, 777 and 5 were hand-picked between 28 March and 15 April. The wine was fermented with 100% wild yeasts and 20% whole bunch (whole clusters with their stems, which add fragrance and structure), aged for 10 months in French oak, 30% new, and bottled in March 2024, then aged for 2 years in bottle before release. The striking label, with its black coal-seam lines and cadmium red for Pinot Noir, is by Ngāi Tahu artist Chris Heaphy, a close friend of the family.
About the vintage
Coal Pit describe 2023 as a cool and settled growing season, with a long, slow ripening period that gave high-quality fruit.
Sophie Preece reported that viticulturist James Dicey saw a Central Otago crop around 5% smaller than 2022, with smaller berries giving more intensity and focus of flavour. Cooler weather late in the season turned it into one of the longest harvests the region has had.
Critic scores and ratings
- 96 POINTS – Cameron Douglas, MS – camdouglasms.com, August 2026
"A taut, dry and poised wine on the palate with flavours of complexity drawn from scents and flavours of red cherries and wild raspberry, there’s a stony firm soil idea and a wild thyme dried herb seam. Complex and detailed both on the nose and palate. A dry wine with medium weight, plenty of texture and tension from the tannins with a chalky feel, the acidity provides backbone and poise as well as carrying the flavours of dark berries and site. Youthful and delicious, poised for more ageing with best drinking from 2029 through 2038+."
- 96 POINTS – Sam Kim – Wine Orbit, July 2026
"Complex, seductive, and elegant, the bouquet reveals dark cherry, wild strawberry, bay leaf, cured meat, and toasted almond notes, leading to a finely flowing palate that's beautifully rounded and supple. Wonderfully composed with finesse and poise, leading to a prolonged, finely dry finish. From the Gibbston district. At its best: now to 2035."
When to drink it
It is youthful and delicious now, and it rewards being decanted. Cameron Douglas, MS gives best drinking from 2029 through 2038+. Coal Pit say secondary characters typically develop after 3–4 years, with more complex tertiary flavours at around 8–10 years old, so this is the sort of wine you buy a case of.
Technical details
| Winery: |
Coal Pit |
| Wine: |
'Tiwha' Pinot Noir |
| Vintage: |
2023 |
| Variety: |
100% Pinot Noir |
| Region: |
Gibbston, Central Otago |
| Country: |
New Zealand |
| Alcohol: |
13.0% |
| Oak: |
10 months in French oak, 30% new |
| Fermentation: |
100% wild yeasts, 20% whole bunch |
| Closure: |
Screwcap |
| Cellaring: |
Through 2038+ (Cameron Douglas, MS) |
| Organic: |
Certified organic vineyard |
Where to buy
For international delivery to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, the Coal Pit 'Tiwha' Pinot Noir 2023 is available from our winenz.com website. For delivery within New Zealand, buy it from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. On both websites and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines, and if you are visiting from overseas, we can ship it home for you.
Questions we are often asked
What does Coal Pit Tiwha Pinot Noir 2023 taste like?
Coal Pit describe forest floor, star anise, dried rose petal and bay leaf on the nose, with black plum skin and sour cherry on a taut palate. Fine tannins and a stony minerality carry it to a long finish.
Why is it called Tiwha?
Tiwha is the name of Coal Pit's flagship Pinot Noir, and it honours the late father of owner Rosie Dunphy.
Is Coal Pit Tiwha Pinot Noir organic?
Yes. It is grown on Coal Pit's certified organic single vineyard in Gibbston, Central Otago, and fermented with wild yeasts.
How long can I cellar Coal Pit Tiwha Pinot Noir 2023?
Cameron Douglas, MS gives best drinking from 2029 through 2038+, and Sam Kim rates it at its best now to 2035. Coal Pit expect complex tertiary flavours at around 8–10 years old.
What food goes with Coal Pit Tiwha Pinot Noir?
Coal Pit recommend game, mushroom and truffle dishes. Owner Rosie Dunphy's own match is duck bao with black vinegar and plum sauce.
Where can I buy Coal Pit 'Tiwha' Pinot Noir 2023?
The Winery ships Coal Pit 'Tiwha' Pinot Noir 2023 internationally from winenz.com to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, and delivers within New Zealand from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.
