Grant Taylor’s name is synonymous with Otago Pinot Noir. He has been crafting wines in the Otago region since 1993. In the thirty years since then, plantings have grown from a mere 20 hectares to now over 2,000 hectares. Having made the first wines for a number of iconic Otago wineries (including Mt Difficulty and Felton Road), Grant’s sole and serious focus is now on his own creation, Valli. Founded in 1998 and named after Grant’s Great-Great Grandfather Giuseppe Valli, an Italian with winemaking in his blood, who immigrated to New Zealand, Valli was established with the aim of bottling honest and pure representations of Otago’s subregions.

Valli Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir is entirely sourced from Grant’s 2-ha vineyard in Waitaki Valley. Valli winemaker Jen Parr defines classic Waitaki Pinot as displaying “intense fragrance, unique savoury undertones, and electric energy” – which is especially true in the 2021 vintage, which captivated us a couple of weeks ago when we first tasted. Production is just 7,104 bottles.