The Waitaki Valley is a region defined by its extremes - geological, climatic, and human. Built on the bones of a prehistoric seabed, uplifted by fault lines and shaped by glacial rivers, it sits between the Southern Alps and the Pacific Ocean, straddling a narrow strip of land on New Zealand’s 45th parallel. Its winegrowing story is as dramatic as its terrain.

Despite being New Zealand’s second smallest wine region - with just 50 hectares of vines - Waitaki is winning hearts for its highly expressive, perfumed wines. “It’s totally unique,” says Dave Sutton, Te Kano’s winemaker and chair of Waitaki Winegrowers. Te Kano entered the valley in 2020, taking over a dormant vineyard and restoring it over several winters. The first fruit, harvested in 2022, was a revelation. “It was a wow moment,” says Dave. “The wines are so aromatic and vibrant. They leap from the glass.”

Pinot Gris from the valley shows spicy green ginger, tropical notes and chalky structure from the limestone soils. Pinot Noir offers a balance of dried herbs and bright fruit - riding the line between red and black. Chardonnay here is all about high acidity and ripe flavour: low alcohol, high intensity, and what Dave calls ‘full maturity at lower brix’. It’s this synergy of geology, long ripening, and cool maritime influence that makes Waitaki a truly special site. Even seasoned winemakers are surprised by the vibrancy and tension these wines manage to hold, giving them clarity and presence without being overstated.

Grant Taylor’s connection to Waitaki is both personal and professional. Born in the valley, he spent much of his youth moving with his stationmaster father. His winemaking career spanned the globe before he returned to Central Otago in the 1990s, founding Valli in 1998 with a focus on subregional expression. But it wasn’t until a 2014 Chardonnay trial that the pull of Waitaki became irresistible.

“Holy hell, I need to own land over here,” he thought, tasting the fruit. By 2016 he had bought vineyard land. Now, he and his wife Nicole Schofield live quietly up the Hakataramea Valley, and in 2024 opened Valli’s Wine Bar in Kurow. It’s a sophisticated touchpoint for curious travellers, wine lovers, and cyclists on the Alps 2 Ocean trail.

From that small post office-turned-bar, Grant pours wines that embody Waitaki’s character. His Chardonnay sells out almost immediately, apart from bottles kept aside for the bar’s guests. “Coming back here, it feels like home,” he says. And it’s not just nostalgia - Grant sees Waitaki as one of New Zealand’s most distinctive terroirs. “There’s this incredible hang time here - you get ripeness and acidity. That’s rare.” It’s not just the wines that bring him back - it’s the story of place, rooted in his own history and shared through every glass.

The Waitaki Valley’s wine industry remains small, but those still farming here are helping shape something unique. After the early 2000s wave of planting, the global financial crisis and oversupply saw many investors turn away. But the valley’s true believers stayed - people like Dave Sutton and Grant Taylor, who see rarity and site character as strengths.

Grant no longer laments vines being pulled out. “Rarity adds value,” he says. And with 40,000 cyclists passing through Kurow every year - many stopping by to taste, learn, and buy - it’s clear there’s a growing audience. From Te Kano’s zingy Pinot Gris to Valli’s mineral Chardonnay, the wines speak of place in a way few regions manage.

For Dave, the future lies in deeper collaboration and sustainable growth. “We want to keep this small, focused, and high-quality,” he says. With committed growers, unique soils, and a climate that demands patience, Waitaki is proving itself - slowly, surely, and with a quiet kind of brilliance. The people making wine here are all deeply rooted - either by place, by vision, or by stubborn curiosity. And that might be the secret ingredient: belief, in something rare and worth nurturing for the long term.