[18] Liam Steevenson MW has described Waipara as possibly the "most exciting place to grow Pinot Noir". [21], Mthode traditionelle sparkling wine is produced in New Zealand. If you love Cabernet-Merlot blends from Washington State or South America, you will be doubly won over by the aromas of black cherry, cedar, and clove. Seek out bottles from Dog Point Vineyard and Mohua. In 2017, its vines took up 22,085 hectares (54,570 acres) of vineyard area, a full 60% of New Zealand's total grape planting, and Sauvignon Blanc wine made up 86% of the nation's exports. [45], The region is young; the first plantings were in the early 2000s, and the local wine growers' association was formed in 2005. Now part of the Mission Estate Winery, it is the oldest commercial vineyard in New Zealand. Several vineyards, including Palliser Estate, Martinborough Vineyards, Murdoch James Estate (now Luna Estate) and Ata Rangi consistently produced interesting and increasingly complex wine from Pinot Noir at the end of the 1980s and into the 1990s. Not only did the wines have the distinctive acidity and abundant fruit of New Zealand wines, but they demonstrated a great deal of complexity, with aromas and flavours not common in New Zealand wine and normally associated with Burgundy wine. Because of the alternating seasons, it is very common to hear of winery interns traveling across the Pacific to work two harvests a year. Difficulty are a few Central Otago producers at the top of their game. The effect of consistently cool nights is to produce fruit, which is nearly always high in acidity. Blends made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the North Island around Hawke's Bay really shine. Wine regions are located mostly in free draining alluvial valleysHawke's Bay, Martinborough, Nelson, the Wairau and Awatere valleys of Marlborough, and Canterburywith the notable exceptions of Waiheke Island, Kawarau Gorge in Central Otago. Most New Zealanders were of British descent, and favoured beer and spirits; the temperance movement further reduced the national appreciation for wine.
Some Northland wineries are also making wine from warmer climate grapes such as Montepulciano, Chambourcin and Pinotage. Contract growing is an example of the use of indigenous agro-industrial methods that predate the New Zealand wine industry. Since New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, their harvest occurs six months earlier than it happens in vineyards in, say, California. [6], By the 1980s, wineries in New Zealand, especially in the Marlborough region, were producing outstanding Sauvignon Blanc. It was in 1985 that the Sauvignon Blanc from Cloudy Bay Vineyards finally garnered international attention and critical acclaim for New Zealand wine. Naturally breezy conditions control vine vigour, creating lower yields of grapes with greater intensity. New Zealand ros is made to drink immediately rather than age, resulting in the crisp, fresh, fruit-forward flavours popular with the New Zealand public. Why would a producer shy away from cork? Further inland from Waipara, the limestone soils around Waikari are producing well-reviewed wine from Bell Hill and Pyramid Valley, using organic and/or biodynamic production methods, and close-planted vineyards. [53] However, many of the top producers in France do not submit their wines to international competitions. The Canterbury Geographical Indication covers wine made anywhere within the Canterbury region of New Zealand, a very large area of some 44,500 square kilometres (17,200sqmi). Early growers blasted holes into the bare rock of north-facing slopes with miners' caps to provide planting holes for the vines. Note: All wines provided as tasting samples for review consideration, with the exception of the Greywacke, Rippon, Felton Road, Mt. Wondering where to get started? The grapes reach full ripeness and produce complex, well-balanced wine. [11], In the late 1960s and early 1970s, these factors that had held back the development of the winemaking industry simultaneously underwent subtle but important changes. Internationally it is also the most recognised, its wines accounting for 85% of New Zealand's 2019 wine exports. [46] The Pinot Noir, in particular, is proving to express a distinctive terroir, different in character from other regions of New Zealand, and more restrained and delicate than Central Otago Pinot Noir. In 2020, New Zealand produced 329million litres (87,000,000USgal) from 39,935 hectares (98,680 acres) of vineyard area, of which 25,160 ha (about two-thirds) is dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc. Syrahs from New Zealand offer savory black pepper flavors complementing juicy plum and violet. While stainless steel did not produce the intensity of fruit, it allowed for its exploitation. For example, when we talk about white wine from Sancerre in France, we know it is Sauvignon Blanc without saying it. Indeed, the strength of flavour in the wine accommodated very dry styles, despite intense acidity. Typically, their vineyards produced table wine and fortified wine to suit the palates of their communities. A Geographical Indication since October 2017, it is also the smallest GI, producing 269 tonnes in 2020 from an area of 71 hectares (180 acres) under vines. Even today, New Zealand white wines tend toward the drier end of the spectrum. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has the classic herbaceousness of the grapeyou might taste a little bell pepper and jalapeocombined with ripe fruit: think passion fruit and pink grapefruit. [citation needed]. It is also the world's most easterly vine-producing region. More recently, exports of mthode have been declining, halving in volume between 2005 and 2011, and now making up less than one percent of total New Zealand exports. Featuring Chardonnay, Pinot, Noir, and more, this small island nation's wines are ready for you to take notice. Ask a Sommelier: The Best Wine for Thai Food, Ask a Sommelier: Tips for Thanksgiving Wine on a Budget, Wine Pairing Advice: What to Drink With Italian-American Classics, Amateur Wine Taste-Along: Pinot Noir and The Sideways Effect, Support Small Wineries With These Coronavirus-Prompted Discounts. [a] As an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand has a largely maritime climate, although its elongated geography produces considerable regional variation from north to south. The fertile soils and Northland climate also results in high vine productivity, requiring good vineyard management to limit yields in order to ensure better quality wines. After tasting Beetham's Hermitage, he concluded that New Zealand and the Wairarapa in particular were "pre-eminently suited to viticulture." [18] Chenin Blanc was once more important, but the viticultural peculiarities of the variety, particularly its unpredictable cropping in New Zealand, have led to its disfavour. [31], Although the Gisborne GI established in October 2017 covers most of the East Cape Gisborne District, most of the 1,191 hectares (2,940 acres) of vineyard area in 2020 is concentrated in a relatively small area around Gisborne city. Ask a Sommelier: What Under-the-Radar Wine Regions Do You Love? [citation needed]. [6][7] In 1851, French Marist missionaries established a vineyard in Hawke's Bay for making Communion wine. As a consequence, many of the vineyards established there are older than their counterparts in the rest of the Wairarapa. The Gimblett Gravels is a former riverbed with very stony soils. However, the weather year-to-year is so variable and frost-susceptible that some years have been simply too cold to produce a reliable harvest. Nearly 90% of total production is exported, chiefly to the United States, Britain and Australia, reaching a record NZ$1.92 billion in export revenue in 2020. Around the turn of the century, Heron's Flight replanted its mainly Bordeaux varieties with the Italian varieties Sangiovese and Dolcetto, and many of the newer wineries, have also planted Tannat and Petit Verdot alongside the usual French varieties, as well as the Italian and Spanish varieties Barbera, Nebbiolo, Albario, Roussanne, and Montepulciano. My favorites come from Gimblett Gravels, a district planted on fine sand and stony gravel along the Ngaruroro River. New Zealand's newest winegrowing region is on the border of Otago and Canterbury. This, combined with the introduction throughout the 1980s of much improved canopy management techniques to reduce leaf vigour and improve grape quality, set the New Zealand wine industry on course for recovery and greatly improved quality. The ocean's cooling effect in these areas doesn't allow the fruit flavors in New Zealand's Chardonnays to get too tropical. The Omihi Hills, part of the Torlesse group of limestone deposits, are located here. Syrah wines from Hawke's Bay, particularly the Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle sub-regions, as well as farther north from Waiheke Island, have also gained a good reputation internationally. The traditional concept of a vineyard, where grapes are grown on the land surrounding a central simply owned or family-owned estate with its own discrete viticultural and winemaking equipment and storage, is only one model. Difficulty, and Burn Cottage. [citation needed] More recently, this UK dominance has eroded. [citation needed], In 2018, the Wines of Canterbury and Waipara Valley Wine Growers associations merged to form the North Canterbury Wine Region. The area is most notable for its excellent Chardonnay, with well reviewed examples especially from Kumeu River and Soljans Estate Winery. Their partnership and innovation to pursue winemaking helped form the basis of modern New Zealand's viticulture practices. Irrigation, low cropping techniques, and the thermal effect of the rock produces great intensity for the grapes and subsequent wine. Some of the initial plantings of Pinot Gris were identified later as Flora; indeed, some Auckland winemakers have incorporated this mishap into their Flora wine names, such as "The Rogue" from Ascension and "The Impostor" from Omaha Bay Vineyards. UK exports had dropped to second place at 23% of total exports behind the United States at 31%, with Australia accounting for 22% in third place. Most Chardonnays come from Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, or Gisborne. Stacey Gibson holds the Advanced Sommelier certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Marlborough, with by far the largest plantings of Pinot, produces wines that are quite aromatic, red fruit in particular red cherry, with a firm tannic structure that provides cellaring potential.[20]. It tends to be quite full bodied (for the variety), very approachable and oak maturation tends to be restrained. Notable producers include French Peak (formerly French Farm); Melton Estate; Lone Goat, which took over Riesling vineyards from Giesen Estate; and New Zealand's only Ehrenfelser vineyard. It is planted mostly in Marlborough, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, with the remainder in the South Island. The industry sold one billion glasses of wine in nearly 100 countries, and over 10% of the wine sold in Britain for more than 5 was from New Zealand. As with many New Zealand products, wine was only really taken seriously at home when it was noticed and praised overseas, and in particular by British wine commentators and critics. The Waitaki Valley GI is defined as the southern bank of the Waitaki River up to 500 metres (1,600ft) elevation, along a narrow strip of approximately 75 kilometres (47mi) between the towns of Duntroon and Omarama. [17], Today, New Zealand is most well known internationally for red wines made from traditional French varieties. 
If New Zealand as a whole is taken to be a wine region then the various 'regions' may be regarded as sub-regions. Most of the vineyards are never too far from the cooling effect of the ocean, preserving acidity in the winesthis brightness leaves you ready for more after each sip. In fact, there is a huge cultural exchange within these regions. Although Chardonnay may be less fashionable than it was ten years ago (it has declined in vineyard area in the last ten years, losing ground to Pinot Gris), winemakers in 2016 reported strong sales and a recent upswing. While you're mostly likely to find New Zealand wines offering the tangy, aromatic style of Sauvignon Blanc, some producers are branching off. In order of descending planting area, varieties grown in Canterbury outside Waipara Valley include Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay.[36]. [28] Some of these, such as Montana Wines (now Brancott Estate), Babich, Nobilo, and Cooper's Creek are now among New Zealand's largest wineries, having extended their operations throughout the rest of New Zealand. [29], Matakana is a small Geographical Indication and sub-region of the Auckland GI, situated about 60 kilometres (37mi) north of Auckland City around the towns of Warkworth and Matakana. A genuine cool climate, with a long, dry autumn, provides ideal ripening conditions for Pinot Noir and other varietals, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Syrah. 
The early wines, which made a stir internationally, were lauded for the intensity and purity of the fruit in the wine. Initial results were mixed because of limited access to good clones, yet the Saint Helena 1984 Pinot Noir was notable enough that the Canterbury region was thought to become the New Zealand home for Pinot Noir. [7] This more than five-fold increase in vineyard area over just two decades has led to a similar increase in sales and export revenue. Old world wines come from places like France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. [33] The long autumns permit the production of fine late-harvest wines. Waipara Valley is a Geographical Indication and sub-region of the larger Canterbury GI, about 60 kilometres (37mi) north of Christchurch. Northland is the most northerly wine region in New Zealand, and thus closest to the equator. [17] Well rated examples are from Forrest, Isabel, Ti Point, Whitehaven and Rapaura Springs. These wines maintain NZ's characteristic freshness, but often with more alcohol and body than other styles from further north. The most common use of land in New Zealand during this period was for animal agriculture, and the exports of dairy, meat, and wool dominated the economy. The New Zealand wine industry is still in its infancy compared to much of the rest of the wine world. In recent years, the hotter temperatures are allowing Auckland winemakers (for example Omaha Bay, Cooper's Creek, Heron's Flight, Matavino, and Obsidian) to experiment with Italian and Spanish grape varieties, such as Albario, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Temperanillo, and even Nebbiolo. Following on from the early success of Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand has been building a strong reputation with other stylesPinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet/Merlot blends, Pinot Gris and Syrah to name a few. To meet the increasing demand for its wines, the entire country's vineyard plantings grew from 7,410 hectares (18,300 acres) in 1997 to 37,129 hectares (91,750 acres) in 2017. Wines that typify the best of Hawke's Bay include Elephant Hill's Airavata, Te Mata Estate's Coleraine, Craggy Range's Sophia, Newton Forrest Estate's Cornerstone, Esk Valley's The Terraces and Villa Maria's Reserve Merlot and Cabernet. Notable producers include Akarua, Felton Road, Chard Farm and Mount Difficulty. [17], Most New Zealand wine producers that produce Pinot Noir or Merlot also produce a ros style wine, although it is sometimes found made from other red varieties. In the decade since, its international reputation has "gone from strength to strength"[20] and has performed very well in reviews and competitions; wine from Marlborough has won the Champion Pinot Noir Trophy three times at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in 2006, 2007, and by Giesen Wines most recently in 2016. This creates a significantly warmer mesoclimate. Vines, which produce best in low moisture and low soil fertility environments, were seen as suitable for areas that had previously been marginal pasture. Sometimes the alluvial nature of the soil is important, as in Hawke's Bay where the deposits known as the Gimblett Gravels represent such quality characteristics that they are often mentioned on the wine label. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. It is divided into several subregions around Bannockburn, Bendigo, Gibbston and Queenstown, Wanaka, the Kawarau Gorge, the Alexandra Basin, and the Cromwell Basin. [37] Good examples of the region's Pinot Noir include those from Black Estate,[38] Bellbird Spring, Fancrest Estate, Muddy Water, Greystone, Waipara Springs, Pegasus Bay and Crater Rim.
New Zealand red wines are also made from the classic Bordeaux varieties, mainly Merlot, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. They don't come cheap thougha bottle of Central Otago Pinot is likely going to set you back at least $30. [17], The amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in production has dropped to a third of what it was in the early 2000s and has been overtaken by a tripling of Syrah planting in that time. It contains two GI sub-regions, Gladstone and Martinborough, as well as Masterton and Opaki. Strong oaky overtones dropped out of fashion through the 1990s but have since made a comeback, with several makers now offering oak-aged Sauvignon BlancGreywacke, Dog Point, te Pa (Sauvignon Blanc 'Oke'), Sacred Hill (Sauvage), Jackson Estate (Grey Ghost), Hans Herzog (Sur Lie) and Saint Clair (Barrique). Syrah is just edging into the New Zealand wine game but it is definitely a grape to watch. [8] William Henry Beetham is recognised as being the first person to plant Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Syrah) grapes in New Zealand at his Lansdowne, Masterton, vineyard in 1881. Indeed, recent years have seen Pinot Noir from Central Otago win numerous international awards and accolades, and excite the interest of British wine commentators including Jancis Robinson and Oz Clarke. [44] In a good year, the warm summer and long dry autumn in the Waitaki Valley can produce one of the longest growing seasons in New Zealand. Nevertheless, good examples exist from Esk Valley, Margrain and Millton Estate. Want to try? [7], Marlborough is by far the largest wine region in New Zealand, accounting for three-quarters of the country's total wine production and 70% of its planted vineyard area. In an article in Decanter (September 2014), Bob Campbell suggests regional styles are starting to emerge within New Zealand Pinot Noir. This is due partly to a rise in popularity and production of sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, a new style of sparkling New Zealand wine. This led ultimately to a dramatic restructuring of the agricultural economy. In the 1980s, a shift away from cask wine for better quality, bottled still wine meant that huge areas of bulk varieties, most notably Mller-Thurgau, were uprooted and replaced with Chardonnay and Gewrztraminer, for which the region is well known today. There is little discernible difference in styles of Chardonnay between the New Zealand wine regions; individual winemakers' recipes, use of oak, and the particular qualities of a vintage have tended to blur any distinction of terroir. New Zealand's winemakers employ a variety of production techniques. Most Sauvignon Blanc is like a friendly puppybursting from the glass and ready to play. [7] The region produces some of New Zealand's finest Chardonnay white wines, which is the most planted variety, followed by the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec that produce Auckland's well regarded red Bordeaux-style wines. When you buy a bottle, you know that at least 85% of the wine is made in the year and from the grape on the labelbut that's about it. [22] In 1975, Daniel Le Brun, a Champagne maker, emigrated to New Zealand to begin producing mthode traditionelle in Marlborough. Data from New Zealand Winegrowers annual report. [45] The remaining producers are growing on about 60 hectares (150 acres) of vineyard area and have been gaining a reputation for the quality and individuality for the region's wines, mainly from Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay. [48], Today, New Zealand's wine industry is highly successful in the international market. Indeed, many well-known producers began as contract growers. The wine regions of New Zealand tend to experience cool nights even in the hottest of summers. [citation needed], The late 1970s were early in the modern wine industry, and the comparatively low annual sunshine hours to be found in New Zealand discouraged the planting of red varieties. Viticulturists have planted Pinot Noir here because of the French experience of the affinity between the grape type and the chalky soil on the Cte-d'Or. In 2008, The Economist reported that for the first time, wine overtook wool to become New Zealand's 12th most valuable export at NZ$760 million, up from only NZ$94 million just a decade earlier in 1997. Some of New Zealand's oldest wineries are in Kumeu, established in the late 1800s by Croatian settlers working the Kauri gum fields. The Geographical Indication of Kumeu is a small sub-region west of Auckland City, surrounding the towns of Huapai and Kumeu, as far west as Waimauku, and east to the southern edge of the town of Riverhead. His French wife, Marie Zelie Hermance Frere Beetham, supported Beetham in his endeavours. If you enjoy Pinot Noirs from the Willamette Valley in Oregon or California's Sonoma County, you should seek out Pinot Noir from New Zealand. While Sauvignon Blanc grapes can be found on both of New Zealand's main islands, they're the leader in Marlborough on the South Island. They are located fairly evenly throughout all wine regions, with the larger producers predominantly in Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, and Waipara. In 2020, these smaller producers, with a vineyard area of no more than 20 hectares (49 acres), represented over three-quarters of New Zealand's wineries. This pervasive use of stainless steel had a distinctive effect on both New Zealand wine styles and the domestic palate. [20][45], Well-known Waitaki wine producers include Valli, Ostler, Q, and John Forrest.[45]. Looking for some good ones to taste? In 1895, the New Zealand government's Department of Agriculture invited the expert consultant viticulturist and oenologist Romeo Bragato to investigate winemaking possibilities. New Zealand's climate is maritime, meaning that the sea moderates the weather, producing cooler summers and milder winters than would be expected at similar latitudes in Europe and North America. The Kawarau valley has a thin and patchy topsoil over a bedrock that is schist. [40] White wines of the region include varietal wines, most commonly of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay. The combination of topography, geology, climate and human effort has led to the region becoming one of New Zealand's premier wine regions, despite its small size, particularly for Pinot Noir. Central Otago is home to the world's most southerly wine region. While the European cooperative model (where district or AOC village winemaking takes place in a centralized production facility) is uncommon, contract growing of fruit for winemakers has been a feature of the New Zealand industry since the start of the winemaking boom in the 1970s. 
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