Pioneering Otago Winemaker, Grant Taylor Produces Valli Wines.
Since 1993, Grant has been crafting wines in Central Otago and has expanded the vineyard from 20 hectares to over 2,000 today. He has spent the past 27 years producing wine for a number of iconic Otago wineries, but now he is putting all of his learnings and focus into his own creation that is Valli.
Grant established Valli back in 1998 after his Great-Great Grandfather, Giuseppe Valli, who had an Italian winemaking background and immigrated to New Zealand.
The main purpose of Valli is to create pure wines with purity and intensity that are a true representation of Otago's subregions. No one had ever attempted to this subregional plot, which has now become an exciting chapter in the Otago wine story.
Grant was joined by an established Otago winemaker Jen Parr back in 2015. Their passion is to create honest wines with integrity and a sense of place.
CENTRAL OTAGO GROWING REGION OVERVIEW
Central Otago is located at the foothills of Southern New Zealand Alps and the is the world's southernmost wine region. It's famous for it's beautifully dramatic scenery with spectacular views from the vineyards.
Within the mountain terrain, the main sub regions are Gibbston, Bannockburn, Bendigo and Waitaki. Pinot Noir is the most widely planted grape variety producing exceptional quality wines. Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay are also widely planted.
With a continental climate, there are big differences in temperatures between the hottest and coldest months. The summers are hot, winters cold and Autumn is typically dry. Wines from this regions typically have higher alcohol content, due to the intense hours of sunlight during the growing season.
BANNOCKBURN VINEYARD
Valli’s Bannockburn Vineyard is located only 20km from Gibbston in the Cromwell basin. The difference in climate between the two sites is responsible for creating markedly different wines.
The Bannockburn wines reflect this warmer area by displaying darker fruits, by being denser, more powerful and with longevity based more on their tannin structure, as opposed to Gibbston wines which are based more on their acidity. The soils are also windblown loess over gravelly schist but with sandier, deeper topsoil, which allows for free draining. Climate, rather than soil, attributes to the main difference in the wines.