Part of our mission is to find new and exciting sources for, well, everything. We look at an imposing number of wines in order to find a few that really make a statement. Consumer interest in expensive, single-vineyard Pinot Noir has seemed to wane over recent years. But we believe that is because so many of them don’t really perform the task of showing the nuances of the particular sites to justify the escalated pricing.
Clearly the whole idea of those vineyard bottlings is a nod to Burgundy, and when the wines do reflect the unique nuances of their origins, they are worth the extra freight. Of course, the Burgundians have been doing it for a very long time, and there are a few proven performers here on the West Coast. But also of great stature are a few folks from the Southern Hemisphere. We’ve spoken at length over the years about Kiwi superstar Felton Road, and have been more recently singing the praises of the wines from Escarpment.
However, we have recently come across a much less familiar name that appears to be ‘swinging for the fences’. One might ask why we dive into a relatively obscure category and highlight a producer few here, ourselves included, had ever heard of before. Fair question. There are easier ways to make a living to be sure. But the wines of Valli from Central Otago demand an audience based on what we tasted. They are thrilling wines.
It all starts with winemaker/owner Grant Taylor, who started in Central Otago when the whole appellation had only 20 hectares planted back in 1993, incidentally the first vintage from which we tasted any New Zealand Pinots. Prior to that, Otago-born Grant had worked to establish Pine Ridge winery in Napa Valley and then Domaine Napa until 1993. Upon returning to New Zealand, Grant did pioneering work at a number of wineries in the then-emerging Central Otago region including names you have read on our pages in the past like Felton Road, Mt Difficulty, Peregrine, and Rockburn. Grant kept his American ties along the way, helping to establish Oregon’s renowned Pinot Noir producing winery, Archery Summit, in 1995. He has consulted there for many vintages since.
Valli Vineyards, the estate Grant named for his great-great-grandfather who had originally immigrated to New Zealand, was founded in 1998 with the idea of exploring more site-specific expressions of the region. After having logged some 40 vintages, as well as winning a London based international wine competition an unprecedented 4 times, he clearly has a good handle getting the terroir of a particular site to show off. This expressive quartet of Pinot Noirs is proof of that.
Since we had never seen the wines before, we were surprised that a couple of reviewers had chronicled several vintages. The reviews are consistently strong but even perhaps a little less enthusiastic than we would have expected. But truth be told, we tasted them twice. The first time we liked them a lot but were a tiny bit wary of the prices. The second tasting a month or two later, after the wines settled down a little, blew us away. It was full speed ahead.
Gibbston is one of the coolest sub-regions of Otago and has one of the slowest ripening cycles. A key factor in quality Pinot Noir from such a cool area is long hang time and the grapes here are cropped at a low one kilo per vine to facilitate that development. The Valli Pinot Noir Central Otago Gibbston Vineyard 2016 has the coolest perfume to the aromatics, ranging from red to black fruits. It has the requisite sweet middle to the fruit which harmonizes the subtle, herbal framework with the beautifully ripe fruit. A full complement of reviews (WS 92, JS 92, WA 91, VM 93) with Niel Martin’s note, “The well-balanced palate offers a fine thread of acidity, gentle grip in the mouth and good weight and superb delineation towards the finish. An excellent New Zealand Pinot Noir that should age in bottle.”
Of the Otago subregions, Bannockburn is probably the most familiar. The Bannockburn wines reflect this warmer area by displaying darker fruits, more density, more power and longevity based more on their tannin structure, as opposed to Gibbston wines which are based more on their lift. Climate, rather than soil, attributes to the main difference in the wines. Valli Pinot Noir Central Otago Bannockburn Vineyard 2016 shows a bit more flesh but a similar note of red and black fruits, here with accents of Asian spice, a hint of soy and a little more mineral. Deceptive length.
Dual 93s (from Wine Advocate and James Suckling), with Suckling’s comments, “This has impressive depth of fruit as well as fragrant top-line perfume. The oak spice suits the dark cherry and sweet earthiness. On the palate there is a punchy frame of tannins that draws tight and fresh through the finish thanks to bracing acidity.”
The higher elevation of this site, called ‘Chinaman’s Terrace’, means slightly cooler temperatures within the context of a warmer (by Kiwi standards) subregion. Good airflow is important to vine health. The wines from this very warm part of Otago have been described as “big friendly beasts”. The Valli Pinot Noir Central Otago Bendigo Vineyard 2016 is, as befits the area, dark, rich, and lush, capturing the rock-reflected heat and ripeness of this special site. It is perhaps
the most similar to something from northern California…a little deeper in color, fuller-bodied with an emphasis on fruit and structure. The dusty, sweet tannins are reminiscent of, say, Sonoma’s Petaluma Gap. Different supporters here (WS 93, JS 92), with Spectator’s notes, “Distinctly spicy, with sarsaparilla, clove and cedar notes that mingle with dense blackberry and blueberry flavors. The tannins are firm, the acidity fresh. Details of sandalwood and cigar box linger on the finish.”
Last, but certainly not least, is the Valli Pinot Noir Central Otago Waitaki Vineyard 2016. Super low yields here from tight plantings of Burgundian clones (Pommard and Dijon) in limestone soils that are featured in this, one of the newest growing areas. A little cooler than Central Otago, this is high-toned stuff with a nose featuring outgoing fruit perfumes and minerality. The ‘Burgundy’ resemblance continues with a wine that is lighter in color, more meaty, peppery and a little ’sauvage’. Not the ‘biggest’ but the longest and most insistent of the bunch. Again the ‘gallery’ approves (VM 93, JS 92, WA 92) highlighting with Wine Advocate notes, “…classic Pinot scents of sous-bois and black cherries, while cola and dried spices add to its considerable appeal. It’s medium-bodied, silky smooth and so, so easy to drink, with no rough edges but just the right amount of acidity to provide life and length on the finish.”
It’s hard to put it in proper perspective, but the magnitude of effort we saw here suggest something on the order of a top producer in the Cote d’Or, a Felton Road, or single vineyard efforts from Calera. Time will tell, but there was definitely a lot to like here. Valli is definitely a significant discovery and well worth exploring for Pinot Noir fans of all persuasions.