Location
Located in the southernmost part of New Zealand’s South Island, Waitaki Valley is just a short drive from the city of Dunedin or even Christchurch. While you’re in the area, be sure to check out some of the nearby attractions. You can’t miss Moeraki Boulders, a collection of large, spherical stones that have washed up on Koekohe Beach. The stones are over 60 million years old, and their round shapes are reminiscent of eggs—which is fitting for a region known for producing egg-based pasta!
If you’re planning to visit Waitaki Valley during your New Zealand excursion, it’s helpful to know what the weather will be like so you can pack accordingly. Summers tend to be warm and mostly dry, with temperatures in January averaging 27°C (80°F). Fall is cool and wet; winter brings snow; and spring means overcast skies. In other words, don’t expect ideal weather no matter when you go!
The region is also characterized by rich soil and relatively flat terrain that makes grape growing easy. Why do viticulturists love this area? Because they get fantastic conditions without having to work too hard for them!
History
The Waitaki Valley has a rich wine-growing history, with the first vines planted in 1864. While it’s a relatively small region, over 40 wineries are producing wines that are winning international awards. Here’s a rundown of some of the top producers:
- The oldest and most well-known winery is Mt. Rosa Wines, established in 1895 by William Boniface and known for its Pinot Noirs. In 2009, their 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve was named New Zealand’s best red at the International Wine Challenge.
- Cushnie Estate Wines is another historic vineyard with a diverse selection of wines grown on stony terraces and steep slopes overlooking the valley floor. They focus on Rhône varietals like Syrah and Viognier as well as Pinot Gris grapes infused with local flavors such as elderflower, lychee and rose petal honey. Cushnie Estate also supports local artists by showcasing their work on their website and labels.
- Other notable winemakers include Black Ridge Estate Vineyards (whose Chardonnays were ranked in the top 10 by U.S.-based Wine & Spirits magazine), Glen Dene Wines (known for its Sauvignon Blancs) and Maude Wines (winners of multiple awards).
Grape varieties and wine styles
The Waitaki Valley is a region that has somewhat struggled to find its sweet spot, both literally and figuratively. The weather is often too warm for Riesling and Pinot Noir at the lower altitudes – which make up most of the valley. It’s not quite ‘cool enough’ for Burgundy varieties (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) at higher elevations.
However, things are now looking up from a wine perspective, with early success found in Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc.
There are now more than 40 producers in the Waitaki Valley producing primarily white wines from a range of grape varieties including: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Albarino (white), Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer (aromatic whites) and Pinot Noir (red).
Appellations and famous wines
The Waitaki Valley is one of the most recent regions to be recognized in New Zealand as a wine area. Although it’s home to only 34 vineyards, many of those vineyards are owned by the same people—so you’ll see that a small number of wineries are responsible for most of the region’s wines.
This has led to the growers and winemakers in this region working closely together, which may be why so many of them have won awards for their wines.
>“New Zealand is unique in that our wine industry is relatively young and we have some of the best winegrowers in the world been involved from the start,” says Petra Wijntjes, who works at Otago-based Quartz Reef Winery. “They can look back on 30-40 years’ experience making extremely high quality wines.”
One famous favorite among Waitaki Valley wines is Two Rivers’ Pinot Gris 2009: it received a gold medal at both Britain’s International Wine Challenge and China’s Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA). More than that, though: it was named by Decanter Asia Wine Awards as its “Best Value New World White” and even earned a platinum award at DWWA 2011—the only Kiwi white ever to do so! If you want something to pair with your seafood or chicken dishes, consider trying this wine.
The Waitaki Valley is an interesting region that is difficult to visit but is producing some excellent wines.
Because of its remote location, the Waitaki Valley is not a region that visitors are likely to visit on their own. If you have hired a car or campervan you can explore some of the towns and despite the fact that there are no cellar doors for tasting as yet, you will see plenty of vineyards and often wineries from the road. You may even see deer and other animals grazing in pastures between vines, although it isn’t recommended that you try to pet them!