 New Zealand has ten main wine growing
regions, each displaying a great diversity in climate
and terrain. Differences in climate may be illustrated
by the variation in the harvesting date of Chardonnay.
In the warmer and more humid northern
regions of Northland, Auckland and Gisborne, Chardonnay
might begin to be harvested in late February or early
March while in Central Otago, the world's most southerly
Chardonnay grapes may first be picked in mid to late
April a difference of 6-7 weeks.
- Northland
- Auckland
- Waikato
- Gisborne
- Hawkes Bay
- Wellington
- Marlborough
- Nelson
- Canterbury
- Central Otago
Auckland Wine Region
Henderson, Kumeu and Huapai to the northwest of Auckland's
city centre, are the traditional winemaking districts
of the Auckland region. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and
Chardonnay are the most popular varieties here although
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and other white varieties are
also planted.
Auckland's soils are mainly shallow clays over hard
silty-clay subsoils or sandy loams. Vineyards are mostly
planted in pockets of flat land on the drier east coast
or in the shelter of western ranges. In the early 1980s
Waiheke Island, in Auckland harbour, was established
as a fashionable district for the production of high
quality red wines based on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
and Cabernet Franc.
Matakana, on the east coast about one hour's drive north
of Auckland city, has also earned an enviable reputation
for Cabernet Sauvignon and has since undergone a very
rapid expansion in both red and white wine production.
Auckland's most recent premium wine district, Clevedon,
has established small pockets of vines in the rolling
farmlands about half an hour south of the city.
Canterbury Wine Region
Canterbury consists of two major wine areas; the plains
around the city of Christchurch, where grapes were first
planted in the late 1970s, and the more recently developed
valley area of Waipara, an hour's drive north of Christchurch.
In the southern area the soils are mainly alluvial silt
loams over gravel subsoils while in Waipara they are
chalky loams that are often rich in limestone. Long,
dry summers, abundant sunshine and relatively cool growing
conditions are a feature in both areas although Waipara,
which is sheltered from the coast by a low range of hills,
can be significantly warmer.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the most widely planted
grape varieties, together making up nearly 60% of the
region's vineyard. Riesling is the third most popular
variety with Sauvignon Blanc in fourth place. Canterbury
is New Zealand's fourth largest wine region.
Central Otago Wine Region
Central Otago is New Zealand's highest and the world's
most southerly wine region. Wines with altitude is the
slogan of one winemaker. It is also New Zealand's only
true continental climate with greater extremes of daily
and seasonal temperatures than are found in any of the
country's maritime regions. Soil structures also vary
dramatically from those of other regions with heavy deposits
of mica and schists in silt loams.
A new, but aggressively expanding wine area, Central
Otago is now New Zealand's seventh largest wine region.
Pinot Noir is the dominant grape variety, a status that
seems certain to be maintained if demand and accolades
are any measure. Chardonnay ranks second with Sauvignon
Blanc and Riesling a distant third and fourth.The wines
of Central Otago have a purity, intensity and vibrancy
that seems totally appropriate to anyone who has visited
the region and breathed the pure mountain air.
Gisborne Wine Region
Located on the
country's most easterly tip and closest to the international
dateline, Gisborne boasts the world's most easterly
vineyards and the first vines to see the sun each day.
The region receives high sunshine hours on coastal
plains that are sheltered from the west by a range
of mountains. Soils include alluvial loams over sandy
or volcanic subsoils of moderate fertility.
Vineyards are
predominantly sited on flats. Chardonnay occupies around
half of Gisborne's vineyards and has lead Gisbornes
grapegrowers and winemakers to christen their region
the Chardonnay capital of New Zealand. The balance
is planted in mostly white varieties, leaving red grapes
a share of only 10%.
Hawkes Bay Wine Region
Hawkes Bay is
the country's second largest region and has a respected
100 year heritage in wine The varied topography and
wide range of soil types, from fertile silty loams
to free-draining shingle, produces a considerable range
of wine styles in this large region. There are 22 categories
of soil types on the Heretaunga Plains alone, from
stones to hard pans to heavy silts.
Ripening dates
for a single grape variety can vary by as much as three
weeks between the hot, shingle soils of the Gimblett
Road area to the cool, higher altitude vineyards of
central Hawkes Bay. Chardonnay is the most widely planted
grape variety but the long sunshine hours attract a
high percentage of later-ripening red grape varieties
such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
and Syrah, as well as the early ripening Pinot Noir.
Marlborough Wine Region
When the first
Marlborough vines were planted in 1973 few people predicted
that the region would become New Zealand's largest
and best known winegrowing area in little more than
20 years. The distinctive pungency and zesty fruit
flavours of the first wines captured the imagination
of the country's winemakers and wine drinkers alike
and sparked an unparalleled boom in vineyard development.
Worldwide interest in Marlborough wines, particularly
Sauvignon Blanc, has continued to fuel that regional
wine boom. The free-draining, alluvial loams over gravelly
subsoils in the Wairau and Awatere River valleys provides
ideal growing conditions.
Abundant sunshine
with cool nights and a long growing season helps to
build and maintain the vibrant fruit flavours for which
Marlborough is now famous. Sauvignon Blanc is the most
planted grape variety with Chardonnay in second place,
followed by Pinot Noir and Riesling. Sauvignon Blanc
may be the star but Marlborough has also earned an
enviable reputation for Méthode Traditionelle
sparkling wines as well as a wide range of both white
and red table wines.
Nelson Wine Region
Nelson is the
country's eighth largest wine region and is an area
of artists, artisans and very stylish wines. Viticulture
occupies scattered pockets with a range of horticultural
activities on the alluvial loam soils of the Waimea
Plains and in the folds and valleys of the beautiful
hills throughout the district. Soil structure here
changes to clay loams over hard clay subsoil.
The region is
unusually sited on the western side of the country
near the northern tip of the South Island. Mountains
to the west of the region provide a rain shadow effect
while coastline helps to moderate temperature extremes.
Nelson winemakers specialise and excel in grape varieties
that respond to cooler growing conditions. Chardonnay,
Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir account for
over 80% of the region's vineyard area.
Northland Wine Region
New Zealand's
first vines were planted in Northland in 1819, however
winemaking almost died out here until a strong resurgence
of interest in recent years. The region is now expanding
rapidly, although it still rates as the country's smallest.
Grape growing is scattered over three districts: 1.)
Kaitaia on the west coast in the far north, 2.) Around
the Bay of Islands on the northern east coast and 3.)
near Whangarei, Northland's largest city.
Northland typically
experiences the country's warmest ripening conditions
which explains the popularity of Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot and Chardonnay, the region's three most widely
planted grape varieties. Vineyards are sited mainly
on flats or gentle slopes. Soils vary throughout the
region from shallow clay soils over sandy-clay subsoils
to free-draining volcanic structures.
Waikato & Bay of PlentyWine
Regions
The Waikato and Bay of Plenty
regions south of Auckland represent small but steadily
expanding vineyard plantings that occupy scattered
pockets of land amidst rolling farmland. Wine production
is focused mainly on Chardonnay with Cabernet Sauvignon
and Sauvignon Blanc occupying second and third place.
Both regions enjoy a moderately warm climate by New
Zealand standards with soils of heavy loams over clay
subsoils.
Wellington Wine Region
Wellington is the official name
for the large region which occupies the southern section
of the North Island. Wairarapa, on the lower eastern
side of the region, is Wellington's only wine district.
Martinborough, as well as being a town, is also the
oldest and best known wine area within the Wairarapa
region. Pinot Noir is the region's most planted and
certainly most acclaimed grape variety.
The success of Martinborough Pinot
Noir has to a large extent driven the rapid development
of this very dynamic and quality-focused region. Climatically
Wairarapa is more aligned to Marlborough than to any
of the North Island regions. The success and style
of its Sauvignon Blanc is evidence of this alliance.
Officially New Zealand's sixth largest region, Wellington
is small in production terms but makes a large contribution
to the country's quality winemaking reputation.
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