Editors notes
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.
Details
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- Earthy
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- Cedar
- Red Cherry
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Critic Scores & reviews
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Bob Campbell MW
95"Fragrant, charming pinot noir with floral, violet, sweet cherry and spice flavours. Supple rather than bold but with subtle underlying power that delivers surprising length. Very accessible now but no rush. Drink 2019–2025."
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
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- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2016
- Brand Valli
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type Red
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Valli Bannockburn Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016-
Bob Campbell MW94 points
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Joe Czerwinski93 points
$74.99
Current auction
All current auctions for this wine & any different vintages.
Locations
New Zealand
The New Zealand wine industry is one of the younger wine regions in the world, whose popularity grew immensely when Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc hit the world wine scene, quite unique in style when compared to the typical French Sancerre.
Wine is successfully cultivated on both the North and South islands from a latitude of 36 degrees in the North to 45 degrees for the most southerly wine region in the world, the South Island's Central Otago. The majority of regions are located in free-draining alluvial valleys except for Waiheke Island and Kawarau Gorge in Central Otago and benefit from the moderating effect of the maritime climate as no vineyard is more than 80 miles from the ocean. With plentiful sunshine hours and cool evening sea breezes, the grapes thrive.
Sauvignon Blanc is the major white variety people will think of when you mention New Zealand Whites, however fantastic Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and less commonly Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Blanc. Pinot Noir is the most widely planted red variety in New Zealand although Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (Bordeaux Blends), Syrah are also grown and in even smaller amounts, Tempranillo and Montepulcianos can too be found. Sparkling wines of very high standards are also made in New Zealand.
The key wine regions in New Zealand include Auckland, Canterbury, Central Otago, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough and Nelson.
Central Otago
Central Otago, located at the southernmost point of the world where wine grapes are grown, is a remarkable wine-growing region that spans over 4,000 square kilometers on New Zealand’s South Island. This spectacular landscape is surrounded by rugged mountains, glacial lakes, and wide-open valleys, which have earned the region a reputation as one of the most scenic wine destinations in the world.
The region is centered around the bustling tourist hub of Queenstown, which is an ideal base to explore the many world-class wineries and vineyards that dot the countryside. The unique soils in Central Otago are characterized by heavy mineral deposits in silt loams that are unlike any other region in New Zealand, resulting in wines with distinctive flavor profiles and complex structures.
Central Otago is New Zealand's only "continental" wine-growing region, which means it experiences greater diurnal temperature fluctuations than any other region in the country. These large swings between low and high temperatures create ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir, the flagship red varietal of the region. The long, cool, and dry autumn period also plays a significant role in producing some of the world's best Pinot Noirs, which are known for their fragrant aroma, silky texture, and true fruit intensity.
In addition to Pinot Noir, Central Otago is also renowned for its aromatic whites, particularly Riesling, which can be made in styles ranging from bone-dry to very sweet. Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay are also produced to a very high standard, reflecting the region's diverse terroir and the skill of its winemakers.
Central Otago's exceptional wines have earned it a place in Jancis Robinson's top five New World wine-producing regions, cementing its status as one of the most exciting and unique wine destinations in the world. With its awe-inspiring natural beauty, welcoming wineries, and world-class wines, Central Otago is a must-visit destination for any wine lover.
Bannockburn
Bannockburn is a subzone of the Central Otago wine region on New Zealand’s South Island. This subalpine landscape is one of the driest and warmest parts of Central Otago. Bannockburn’s focus is mainly Pinot Noir, as this dry climate and its unique soils are well-suited for growing and ripening this grape. It’s also home to some of the region’s best expressions of these wines. Bannockburn Pinot Noirs are typically rich and fruit-driven, with aromas and flavours of cherries and dark fruit, firm tannins, and great potential for ageing. In addition to Pinot Noir, the subzone also grows Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.
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Pairs Well With
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About the brand Valli
In the words of Grant Taylor, the pioneering winemaker of Valli, “When you drink a Valli wine you are enjoying more than just a wine, you are experiencing a place.” True to his words, the wines of Valli are well known in the wine world; Taylor has been awarded three times for ‘Best Pinot Noir’ at one of the world’s largest wine competitions in London.
Located in New Zealand’s Central Otago on the South Island, Valli is named after Taylor’s great-great grandfather who immigrated from New Zealand from an Italian winemaking background. The winery was established in 1998, with a keen focus on creating wines that highlight the diversity among Otago’s subregions, a task Grant has taken on with considerable results.
The winery is based around the close-planted estate vineyard in Gibbston and produces a dry Riesling from vines in the Alexandra basin, and a botrytised Riesling, Dolce Vita, from Lowburn fruit. Valli also makes a range of impressive single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from the Otago subregions of Bannockburn, Bendigo and Waitaki Valley.
Grant’s name is synonymous with Otago Pinot Noir. He has been crafting wines in the region since 1993 when there were only 20 hectares planted - today there are over 2,000. Grant’s accomplishments are well known in the wine world and he is credited with winning the Best Pinot Noir Trophy at a major International Wine Competition in London an unprecedented four times – a feat achieved by no other winemaker in the world.
Over the past 25 years he has made the first wines for a number of iconic Otago wineries, but now the serious focus is on his own creation, Valli.
Established in 1998 and named after his Great-Great Grandfather, Giuseppe Valli, who immigrated to New Zealand from an Italian winemaking background, Grant founded Valli with the aim of creating true representations of Otago’s subregions with unflinching intensity and purity. This was also a first for the region – no one had attempted to capture, let alone master the developing subregional plot that has now begun to unfold as the next exciting chapter in the Otago wine story.
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