The 2006 Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir was left wanting, showing a little green and herbaceous and lacking a little freshness on the finish. In a half-built woolshed with the wind howling outside, I tasted Grant Taylor's boutique wines under the Valli label. Having worked in Napa, Grant was head winemaker at Gibbston Valley Wines for 13 years before founding his own label after purchasing 6.5 hectares of vine in Gibbston. His wines are suffused with personality and charm and Grant obviously has an acute understanding of what makes great Pinot Noir. His are generally made with 25% whole bunches and matured in 30-40% new oak. I felt that Valli's white wines lacked a little concentration. Importer: RO Imports LLC, New York, NY; tel. (212) 984-2598; fax (212) 984-3306 and West Coast Wines, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 226-1980

Good full red. Slightly high-toned, perfumed aromas of cherry, cinnamon and mace, with hints of exotic spices. Suave on entry, then sappy and silky, with a fine-grained texture, subtle flavors of raspberry, spices and minerals, and a very long, smooth finish. This pinot has a delicacy and weightlessness that come from limestone-rich soils. This site is actually located in a new growing region far north of Queenstown; since it's outside the Central Otago appellation, winemaker Grant Taylor simply labels all his pinots Otago. Valli is the new venture of the veteran pinot maker Grant Taylor, who has previously crafted pinot noirs at numerous Central Otago wineries, including Gibbston Valley Vineyards, Peregrine, Felton Road and Carrick.

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