2022 Gibbston Pinot Noir, Valli

Valli Vineyards, founded in 1998 by renowned winemaker Grant Taylor, is dedicated to expressing the unique terroirs of Central Otago through single-vineyard winemaking. Grant is a four-time winner of the prestigious International Winemaker of the Year award at the IWC in London.  He has been instrumental in shaping Central Otago’s global Pinot Noir reputation over the last 4 decades.  Since 2015, winemaker Jen Parr has collaborated with Taylor, bringing a shared commitment to producing wines that embody honesty, integrity, and a true sense of place.

The Gibbston vineyard, Valli’s original site, is located in the coolest and highest sub-region of Central Otago, known for producing wines of elegance, vibrancy, and aromatic complexity. Under the guidance of Taylor and winemaker Jen Parr (NZ Winemaker of the Year 2020), Valli continues to craft wines that embody purity, precision, and place.

In the glass, the 2022 Valli Gibbston Pinot Noir is a captivating expression of this alpine sub-region. Aromatically intricate, it opens with an evocative mix of wild thyme, rosemary, fennel, and earthy mushroom, harmoniously intertwined with bright notes of dark cherry, ripe strawberry, and dried rose petals. On the palate, the wine is refined and focused, offering a compact yet layered structure that flows gracefully, akin to a mountain river in spring. Fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity provide drive and tension, while the hallmark Gibbston perfume lingers beautifully on the finish. Elegant yet concentrated, this Pinot Noir is both immediately expressive and built to age gracefully over the next two decades.