Valli Vineyards Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022

The Valli Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 is one of the most distinctive expressions in Valli’s collection of single-vineyard wines. The Waitaki Valley, on the northern edge of Otago, is a maritime-influenced subregion defined by limestone-laced river gravels, cool temperatures, and a long growing season. These conditions shape a Pinot Noir of precision, fragrance, and mineral tension.

Planted in 2001 on Grant’s Road, the vineyard sits at 200m elevation and is planted at 5000 vines per hectare to clones 115, 777, Abel, UCD 5, and 114. The site yields only 3 tonnes per hectare, ensuring low yields and high concentration.

Harvested between 20–30 April 2022, the fruit was fermented with 5% whole bunch inclusion, reaching a peak temperature of 29°C and spending 23 days on skins. The wine was aged for 11 months in French oak barriques (30% new) from Mercurey, Ana Selection, and Damy coopers, before bottling unfined and unfiltered at 12.5% alcohol.

Tasting Note
A translucent garnet hue introduces aromas of wild strawberry, pomegranate, and pomelo, interwoven with wild thyme, cedar, and gunflint. The palate carries vibrant notes of cardamom, allspice, damson plum, and tart cherry, underpinned by fine, chalky tannins and a distinct saline finish. The wine’s fragrance, savoury complexity, and electric energy make it a captivating and long-lived expression of Waitaki’s unique terroir.

Small-Batch Detail

• Region: Waitaki Valley, North Otago

• Vineyard: Grant’s Road (planted 2001)

• Elevation: 200m | Climate: Maritime influenced

• Soils: Limestone over river gravels

• Clones: 115, 777, Abel, UCD 5, 114

• Yield: 3 t/ha | Vine Density: 5000 vines/ha

• Fermentation: 5% whole bunch, 23 days cuvaison, peak 29°C

• Oak Maturation: 11 months in French oak (30% new)

• Fining/Filtration: None | Alcohol: 12.5%

• Production: 1,158 dozen

• Cellaring: Drink now – 2038

Expert Reviews
⭐ 96 Points – Wine Orbit

“Sweetly ripe and finely scented with red cherry, wild strawberry, olive, game and toasted nut aromas. An elegantly weighted palate with bright acidity and fine tannins, making it splendidly structured and sensually appealing.”

⭐ 95 Points – Raymond Chan Wine Reviews

“Enticing red fruit, deep florals, and sweet herbs. Medium-bodied, with red cherry, thyme, and earthy undertones. Silky tannins and lacy acidity reflect the savoury, chalky texture of Waitaki. Match with quail or duck.”

⭐ 94 Points – Robert Parker Wine Advocate

“Light and fine, both in the glass and aromatically. Fragrant and detailed, with crushed shells, river stones, and cherry skin. Long, elegant finish. A beauty—and there will be no 2023 vintage, so make hay while the sun shines.”

Fine Pinot Note
A thrilling, mineral-driven Pinot Noir that epitomises the cool precision of North Otago. The 2022 Valli Waitaki is fragrant, savoury, and saline—a truly site-expressive wine that lingers with fine texture and verve. Perfect with duck, quail, or truffle-infused dishes.

About Valli Vineyards

（Image : Winemaker Jen Parr (left) and Valli founder Grant Taylor, source from : Villi Vineyard Limited) 

VALLI is the personal vocation of pioneering winemaker Grant Taylor. Grant’s name is synonymous with Otago Pinot Noir. He has been crafting wines there since 1993 when there were only 20 ha planted – today there are over 2000. Grant founded VALLI in 1998 with the intention to produce single vineyard Pinot Noirs highlighting the different characteristics of Otago’s sub regions. More than 20 years later, VALLI is doing just that, producing single-vineyard pinot noirs from Gibbston, Bannockburn, and Bendigo in Central Otago and the Waitaki Valley in North Otago, as well as a dry Pinot Gris from Gibbston and a Riesling from Waitaki. In 2015, established Otago winemaker Jen Parr joined Grant in the winery where the two aim to create wines with honesty, integrity, and most of all, a sense of place. When you drink a Valli wine, you are enjoying more than just a wine: you are experiencing a place.

Central Otago, New Zealand

(Image source from Misha's vineyard, Central Otago)

Central Otago has quickly established itself as ground zero for Pinot Noir in New Zealand-in the words of Jancis Robinson, "many believe this is where the Pinot grail is to be found".