Valli 'Waitaki Vineyard' Pinot Noir 2021

SKU
VWPN202110 UCNZ
  • Raymond Chan Wine Reviews: 100/100
  • Medium-bodied, expressive and concentrated palate layered Bing cherry, plum and strawberry, cedar and black pepper.
  • This Pinot Noir is immensely pleasurable, showing excellent cellaring potential. with a complex, concentrated core, fine tannin structure
  • 1 or more bottles
    $84.99
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  • Raymond Chan Wi
    100 points
  • Cameron Douglas
    96 points
  • Sam Kim
    5 points
  • Bob Campbell MW
    95 points

Editors notes

A unique “matte” garnet hue with aromas of wild strawberry, cassis, and mulberry laced with maple, cedar, and wild thyme. The intriguing bouquet is followed on the palate with garrigue spice, cardamom, strawberry, tart cherry, and mushroom. The wine is concentrated yet bright with fine tannins and incredible persistence, finishing with distinctive salinity. Intense fragrance, unique savoury undertones, and electric energy = classic Waitaki Pinot Noir and 2021 has it in spades. Captivating at release, this wine will continue to develop for at least a decade.

Details

Tasting Profile

  • Light (Light)
    Full (Full)
  • Low Tannin (Low Tannin)
    Tannic (Tannic)
  • Sweet (Sweet)
    Dry (Dry)
  • Low Acidity (Low Acidity)
    High Acidity (High Acidity)
  • Aroma
    • Earthy
    • Herbal
    • Red Fruits
  • Palate
    • Cedar
    • Red Cherry
    • Strawberry

Food Pairings

  • Fish
  • Game
  • Poultry

Critic Scores & reviews

  • Raymond Chan Wine Reviews

    100
    "Moderately deep ruby-red with a garnet reflection, slightly lighter on the rim. The nose is enticing and complex, enveloping fresh and dried floral from afar. In the glass, hibiscus, rose and herbs interweaved with Bing cherry, plum, strawberry, shiitake, sous bois and spice. Medium-bodied, expressive and concentrated palate layered Bing cherry, plum and strawberry, unveiling hibiscus, rose petal, wild thyme, sous bois, shiitake, cedar and black pepper. Velvety tannin lightly coated with palate with texture, penetrating undergrowth, liquorice and savoury elements. Seamless, lacy acidity carries spice to linearity. This Pinot Noir is immensely pleasurable, with a complex, concentrated core, fine tannin structure and seamless integration, showing excellent cellaring potential."
  • Cameron Douglas MS

    96
  • Sam Kim

    5
    "Gorgeously complex and perfumed on the nose showing sweet cherry, dried herb, earthy mushroom and roasted hazelnut aromas. The palate displays excellent weight and silky flow, wonderfully supported by rounded mouthfeel and silky tannins. Delightfully refined and savoury with a lengthy flavoursome finish."
  • Bob Campbell MW

    95
    "ight, smooth-textured wine with strawberry, cherry, raspberry, vanilla and spicy oak flavours. The pale colour is deceptive as the wine has considerable power clearly demonstrated in its surprisingly lengthy finish."

Other vintages

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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.

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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