Valli, Central Otago

Valli
Central Otago, New Zealand

Website: www.valliwine.com

Pioneering Central Otago winemaker Grant Taylor (above) established Valli in 1998, and he’s been working here since 1993. By Central standards, that’s ancient history. From 1993 until 2006 he was winemaker at Gibbston Valley. Grant’s originally from Otago, but began his winemaking career in the Napa Valley, before returning home.

He has 3.5 hectares of vines in Gibbston, and supplements this with fruit from Bannockburn, Bendigo, Lowburn, Alexandra and also the Waitaki Valley. So that’s pretty much everywhere in Central, then.

The name Valli comes from Grant’s great grandfather, Giuseppe Valli, who moved to New Zealand from an Italian winemaking family in the late 19th century.

These are very impressive wines, displaying detail and elegance.

THE WINES

Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012 Central Otago, New Zealand
Some reductive notes on the nose (this is the dirtiest wine Grant Taylor says he's made, because a couple of barrels went reductive, and he chose to include them). Reductive, spicy and vivid black cherry nose, showing nice complexity. The palate is fresh and elegant with sleek black fruits and notes of spice and minerals. Such a lovely, detailed wine that's fine and edgy. 95/100 (02/14)

Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 Central Otago, New Zealand
Grant Taylor says that normally the yields for this vineyard are naturally 10 tons/hectare, which he takes down to 4 or 5. In 2007 it was 4, which he took down to 2. Sweet, ripe cherry and plum fruit is quite lush with some liqueur-like fruit quality. Dense, ripe and meaty but with fresh cherry fruit. A dense, rich wine but it's showing lovely balance. 94/100 (02/14)

Valli Pinot Noir Waitaki Vineyard 2010 Waitaki, New Zealand
Amazingly floral fruit: very pretty with expressive cherry notes. The palate is supple, rounded and fresh with some meatiness. Very pretty, fine cherry fruit. 94/100 (02/13)

Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Fresh, focused and elegant with nice weight. Fruity and expressive with cherries and plums, and quite a bit of elegance. Rounded and expressive. 94/100 (02/13)

Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 Central Otago, New Zealand
Fine and expressive with lovely fruit. Juicy, cherryish and elegant. 93/100 (02/13)

Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 Central Otago, New Zealand
Supple, elegant and fine with nice cherry fruit. Supple with some spiciness and nice weight. Really expressive. 94/100 (02/13)