She and partner David Pratt own the two-block 20ha vineyard near Mt Pisa, and were delighted when their Ata Mara Central Otago Riesling 2018 won the Champion Riesling trophy at the Royal Easter Wine Show in Auckland this month.
''Being predominantly pinot noir producers, riesling was not top of our list of varieties to plant,'' she said.
''The decision was at the request of my mother, Bernadette Sullivan, who still lives in Otago at 90 years of age.
''Riesling is her favourite wine and she insisted that even if we planted just a small amount then she would approve of our activities as being of value especially to her, as she would have a lifetime supply of lovely riesling.''
Ms Bayliss said riesling was a much misunderstood wine as it was generally considered to be a sweet German wine.
''However, rieslings covers a full spectrum of wine styles and that can also be a challenge for consumers because they don't often know which style they are going to get, whether, dry, off dry, sweet or fruit-driven.
''That is why parents tell their adult children that they don't want to try it,'' she said.
She said their riesling, made by winemaker Pete Bartle, was off-dry with a good acid structure.
Central Otago produced quality white wines, including chardonnay, pinot gris, gewurztraminer, and gruner veltiner.
The region's hot dry days and crisp cool nights gave white wines a real edge, particularly for rieslings.
Ata Mara's 2015 riesling won the 2016 Decanter platinum medal and its 2013 pinot noir won a Decanter World Wide gold medal, in 2015.
''Our riesling also won a Bragato [award] and wine writer Bob Campbell gave it 90/100, same vines, different vintage.''
Ata Mara distributes its wine through the New Zealand Wine Society.
