New Zealand was a latecomer to winemaking in the Southern Hemisphere, with the first vines planted in 1819. Vineyards were established in Chile and Argentina around 100 years before the first European, Abel Tasman, even set eyes on New Zealand, in 1642. New Zealand’s initial plantings were in Kerikeri, in what is now Northland, a region that continues to make a small amount of wine in humid conditions. The cuttings were brought to the country from Australia by English missionary Samuel Marsden. There is no record of the wine these vines produced, if any, but in Marsden’s diary of September 25, 1819, he notes, “New Zealand promises to be very favorable to the wine, as far as I can judge at present of the nature of the soils and climate. Should it succeed it will prove of vast importance in this part of the globe.” More than 200 years later, his prediction has come true, but due to a blend of social, cultural, and legal impediments, it has taken a long time for New Zealand to fulfil its potential.
The major wave of migration to New Zealand in the 19th century came from Britain, a whisky-drinking, beer-swilling nation. There was no tradition of growing grapevines in Britain at that time, whereas the Spanish missionaries exported their wine culture to South America, and Central Europeans shipped vines to their new homes in South Australia. There were a few wine buffs among the British, including Scottish-born James Busby, who landed in New Zealand in 1833 and brought in cuttings he had previously imported to Sydney, Australia. Records suggest that these vines were responsible for producing the country’s first wine. In 1840, French naval officer Jules Dumont d’Urville tasted the fruits of Busby’s vines, having rowed ashore from his ship Astrolabe. In his journal, he noted that the vines were thriving and that he been given “a light white wine, very sparkling and delicious to taste, which I enjoyed very much.”
However, the impetus for planting vines did not come primarily from the British. French missionaries founded the Hawke’s Bay wine industry in 1851. Meanwhile, Dalmatians (from an area that is today part of Croatia) fleeing the clutches of the Austro-Hungarian empire forged a winegrowing community in west Auckland from the early 1900s, having first earned a living digging gum trees in the far north. The Dalmatian influence remains strong today, with names like Babich, Fistonich (Villa Maria), and Brajkovich (Kumeu River) recognized around the wine world.
New Zealand’s indigenous Polynesian population, the Māori, likely arrived on the island in the early 14th century CE. New Zealand was unknown by humans until that time, making it one of the last land masses on earth to be settled. Astonishingly, the Māori traveled to New Zealand by canoe from what is believed to be Tahiti, a voyage of more than 4,000 kilometers. The Māori lived alone in New Zealand for a little over three centuries before Europeans first made contact.
The Māori community is largely concentrated to New Zealand’s North Island, which is home to approximately 85% of today’s population as well as several marae, sacred meeting houses within traditional Māori villages. Māori tribes are referred to as iwi, which can be further divided into hapū.
Māori culture is visible in every aspect of New Zealand life—from its art and cuisine to its vernacular to its sporting traditions. The Māori language is also an official national language. Yet the Māori have faced several legal and social challenges in post-colonial New Zealand. This can be felt in the wine industry, where of the country’s 700 wine labels, approximately 80 feature Māori names while only 6 have Māori ownership or leadership. The TUKU Collective is an association of several of these producers who have banded together to promote Māori contributions to wine.
The pioneers of New Zealand’s wine industry faced many obstacles—not only the lack of wine-drinking culture in New Zealand but also societal attitudes toward alcohol in general. Drinking to excess was believed to be affecting the country’s moral fabric, and in the late 1800s, a strong temperance movement developed in New Zealand. Momentum built, and by 1910, 12 of the country’s 70-something electorates were dry, including the fledgling wine-producing districts of Masterton in the Wairarapa and Mount Eden in Auckland. The issue came to a head in 1919, when a national vote on prohibition took place. Local residents voted in favor of prohibition, but Kiwi troops stationed in Europe following World War I voted four to one in opposition. The soldiers tipped the balance, giving the embryonic wine industry a chance of survival.
The temperance movement didn’t go away, however. A legal hangover remained for most of the 20th century, with strict licensing laws making wine sales challenging. Pubs had to close at 6pm until 1967, while drinking wine in a restaurant was illegal until 1960. It wasn’t until 1989 that wine was sold at restaurants after 8pm and on Sundays. Single bottle sales weren’t permitted until 1955—previously, a minimum purchase of two gallons was required, effectively prohibiting direct-to-customer sales for wineries. Supermarket sales finally began in 1989; today, supermarkets account for 60% of all wine sold domestically.
Central to the modern New Zealand wine industry is Sauvignon Blanc. While Marlborough is now the grape’s undisputed New Zealand home, the first Kiwi example was produced in the warmer climes of Auckland. New Zealander Ross Spence had spent time in California studying at the University of Fresno, and when he returned home, he obtained some Sauvignon Blanc cuttings from the government’s research station, Te Kauwhata. He planted the vines in his Matua Road vineyard in 1968, producing the first commercially available wine in 1974. These initial vines were disappointing in terms of yield due to leafroll virus, but the freshness and bold aromatics of the resulting wines persuaded him to go in search of disease-free vines. He managed to acquire cuttings from the Department of Agriculture’s trial block at Corbans Winery. The block was due to be uprooted because of a lack of interest, and Spence removed propagation wood just weeks before it was consigned to history. Spence provided viticulturist Wayne Thomas of Montana (now Brancott Estate) with cuttings to plant the first Sauvignon Blanc vines in Marlborough in 1975. Montana produced the first commercially available Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc in 1979.
In the mid-1980s, the first examples of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc made their way to overseas critics and wine buyers. The vibrant aromas, bold green flavors, and bright acidity captured international palates. While the wines are now less green in character and more refined, the signature of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc continues to be its vivacity and aromatic exuberance.
New Zealand is a tiny drop in the world’s wine ocean. In 2020, there were 39,935 hectares planted, accounting for only 0.5% of the total vineyard area globally. This positions it at number 31 in the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) table of grapegrowing countries, between the less-celebrated Ukraine and Mexico.
With New Zealand’s population at just 4.9 million, the wine industry is necessarily export focused. Domestic consumption is a relatively small part of the market, representing 50 million liters, worth NZ$91 million, in 2020.
Kiwis are also drinking less than they were a decade ago: annual wine consumption fell from 21.5 liters per capita in 2011 to 18.4 liters in 2020. Thankfully, a significant rise in wine export value has more than compensated for this change. Exports were valued at over NZ$2 billion in 2020, double their 2011 value. Wine is now the country’s fifth most exported good.
The word kiwi carries three different meanings in New Zealand. It references the kiwifruit, which is native to China but found its first commercial success in New Zealand. The kiwi bird—a flightless, brown, primarily nocturnal bird with a long, curved beak—is an unofficial national symbol. Kiwi is also a nickname for New Zealanders, with a history documented since the end of World War I. New Zealanders take pride in the label, which is not considered pejorative.
New Zealand has approximately 700 producers. Since the turn of the century, plantings have almost quadrupled, from 10,197 hectares in 2000 to 39,935 hectares in 2020, with most of that increase taking place in Marlborough, which accounts for 69% of the country’s vineyard area. Sauvignon Blanc is by far New Zealand’s most important grape, representing 87% of all wine exported. While this has led to some concerns about overreliance on one variety, its popularity shows no signs of waning.
The method of shipping New Zealand wines to the world has changed dramatically since the global financial crisis of 2008. Before the crisis, bulk sales represented just 5% of all wine; this skyrocketed to 46% in the year ending July 2020. While the country’s wines enjoy a premium image thanks to its natural beauty, its remote geographical location, and the consistent standard of its wines, the rise in bulk—while more environmentally friendly than shipping in bottle—is causing concern among quality-oriented producers. This led to the creation of Appellation Wine Marlborough, a certification scheme for wines sustainably grown in Marlborough and bottled in New Zealand.
New Zealand is a long, slender country consisting of two main islands: North and South Island. Vineyards span about 1,600 kilometers, from sub-tropical Northland, which sits on a latitude of 35˚ S, to the Alpine climate of Central Otago, one of the world's most southerly wine regions at 45˚ S. Marlborough, on the South Island, sits on a similar latitude to Rome at 41˚ but is much cooler, with an average growing season temperature of 15.2 degrees Celsius (59.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and 1,118 growing degree days, more similar to Burgundy. This comparatively cooler climate is due to the vast bodies of water that surround New Zealand.
There is no land between Chile and New Zealand’s east coast, just more than 9,000 kilometers of uninterrupted ocean and the International Date Line. Meanwhile, the Tasman Sea separates New Zealand from its nearest neighbor, Australia, which is 4,000 kilometers, or a four-hour plane ride, away. It’s no surprise, then, that this is a maritime-influenced wine region. The coast is never farther than 120 kilometers away, and all but 5% of the country’s vineyards sit within 50 kilometers of the sea. The only region in New Zealand that could be considered semi-continental is Central Otago.
The west coast of New Zealand is generally too wet to successfully grow grapes due to its exposure to weather systems from the Tasman Sea. The mountains that run down the spine of New Zealand, including the Southern Alps, protect the east coast from the prevailing wet westerly winds, creating drier conditions more favorable to grapegrowing. Rainfall is generally around 600 to 1,000 millimeters in most wine regions, with drier conditions toward the east. That said, the subregion of Alexandra in Central Otago is home to the country’s driest spot, protected from westerlies by three mountain ranges. However, despite the drier climate, autumn rainfall can be an issue on the east coast. In some years, including 2017 and 2018, the remnants of tropical cyclones in the South Pacific strike at harvest.
In general, the South Island is considered a cool climate. In fact, it was believed to be too cool for viticulture until recently. Wine production had been concentrated in the more temperate North Island regions of Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, and Gisborne. But in the 1970s, a government scientist named Derek Milne published a report concluding that the climate and soils of Marlborough, Martinborough (located on the southern tip of the North Island but with a climate more similar to that of the South Island), and Waipara were suitable for viticulture.
New Zealand’s bottom-of-the-earth position means it is close to the ozone hole that forms annually over the South Pole. Combined with the country’s clean air, UV radiation can be as much as 40% higher in New Zealand than at a comparable latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. This makes sunlight intensity an important factor to consider. Vineyard workers must take care to avoid sunburn, and viticulturists need to be particularly strategic with canopy management to prevent the afternoon sun from burning the berries.
Because of its youth, New Zealand has an enormous variety of soils that are generally less than 10,000 years old. Alluvial soils play a leading role on valley floors and terraces, providing different combinations of gravel, stone, silt, and sand. Hillside vineyards are less common in New Zealand than in Europe. The alluvial soils provide plentiful drainage, and capturing additional sunlight isn’t a concern, so planting on slopes has not historically been a priority. However, a growing number of vineyards are being established on slopes across the country. For example, in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys and Waipara’s Omihi area, the denser, loam-rich soils found on hillsides are more suitable for growing serious Pinot Noir than the alluvial valley floor.
There are no strict appellation regulations in New Zealand. Grapegrowers are at liberty to plant any variety they can get their hands on from the country’s grapevine nurseries. They can plant at whatever density they choose and crop the vines to their yield specifications. Irrigation is permitted as long as there is enough water available, which is becoming a greater challenge.
However, in 2016, the New Zealand government finally passed the Geographical Indications Bill, immediately protecting the names of 18 New Zealand wine regions. These regional names, or Geographical Indications (GIs)—including Auckland, Marlborough, and Central Otago—may only be used for wines that hail from the given region, protecting them from misuse overseas.
For its wines, New Zealand follows the international norm of the 85% rule, meaning that if a vintage, variety, or origin is stated on the label, at least 85% of the wine must be sourced from that vintage, variety, or origin. In this export-focused industry, the wine must also conform to the laws of its place of sale. For example, New Zealand wines sold in the European Union must have a minimum alcohol level of 8.5%, adhering to the block’s legal definition of wine. In recent years, there have been a number of sweet wines that have not received export certification as a result of falling below 8.5% alcohol when bottled.
Producers must also gain export eligibility certification for each of their wines before they leave New Zealand shores. The wines must be free from obvious faults identified through a sensory evaluation, and wineries must have records to provide an auditable trail from grape to glass.
New Zealand is the global leader in bottling wines under screwcap, also referred to as Stelvin closure. While approximately 30% of wine globally is sealed under screwcap, that figure rises to more than 90% in New Zealand. In 2001, a group of New Zealand winegrowers, including MW Michael Brajkovich of Auckland’s renowned Kumeu River, spearheaded a movement encouraging all of the country’s wines to be bottled under screwcap. Although some have mistakenly called the New Zealand Screwcap Initiative an environmental pursuit, the cork industry is self-sustaining. This effort was instead driven by the fact that the quality of cork reaching Oceania in the 1990s and early 2000s was notoriously poor and prone to TCA infection. Screwcaps offered New Zealand winegrowers an opportunity to eradicate cork taint from their wine closures.
Many have attributed a reductive character to New Zealand wine due to bottling under screwcap. While some of the first screwcaps allowed very little oxygen to pass through the closure, this fault has largely been corrected by modern screwcaps that allow the wine slow exposure to oxygen. In fact, a high-quality, dense cork might have a lower oxygen transmission rate than a commercial screwcap. Others have criticized the screwcap on aesthetic grounds, arguing that there is romance in the experience of pulling a cork and that screwcaps are largely associated with inexpensive labels. But for many New Zealand producers, the trade-off is worthwhile to be able to guarantee a sound wine. As most of New Zealand’s most expensive wines are under screwcap, the Kiwis are redefining the global perception of this important closure.
New Zealand has more than 50 grape varieties planted, from the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc to a smattering of Sangiovese. In addition to international varieties, German hybrids are a reminder that the country’s vineyard has been transformed in the past 40 years by both a government-sponsored vine pull and phylloxera. As recently as 1996, Müller-Thurgau was New Zealand’s most prolific variety; Sauvignon Blanc only became the country’s most important grape in 2002.
The national vineyard totaled 39,935 hectares in 2020, of which 32,155 hectares (80.5%) were white and 7,710 hectares (19.5%) were red varieties. The average size of a vineyard is 19 hectares.
Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc is essential to the New Zealand wine industry. As noted, the first New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was produced in Auckland by Ross Spence in 1974. He later gave cuttings to Montana’s Wayne Thomas, who established the first Marlborough plantings in 1975. The first commercially available Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was made in 1979, and examples began arriving overseas in the mid-1980s.
In 2002, Sauvignon Blanc plantings reached 3,685 hectares, usurping Chardonnay to become New Zealand’s most planted variety. Since then, plantings have increased to 25,150 hectares—an almost seven-fold rise in 18 years.
Notably, the thiols found in Sauvignon Blanc can be enhanced through machine harvesting. A study from the University of Auckland revealed thiol levels were 5 to 10 times higher in machine- versus hand-harvested fruit, as the latter tends to be handled more gently. A paper for local producers entitled “Managing Thiols,” which was based on the university’s findings and compiled by the country’s wine trade body, New Zealand Winegrowers, suggests, “Key enzymes, such as the lipoxygenases and their substrates, are better released with greater maceration, leading to more thiol precursors in the grape juice prior to fermentation.”
Led by Sauvignon Blanc, wine has become a major contributor to New Zealand’s economy, prompting government-funded research on the variety. There have been many studies, from soils to sensory analysis, deepening understanding of the grape. A hallmark of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough is its green-yet-ripe tropical fruit character. Compared with Sauvignon Blanc from France, Austria, and South Africa, New Zealand examples typically display higher concentrations of the volatile thiols 3-mercaptohexanol (3MH) and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA), as well as the green-tasting isobutyl methoxypyrazine (IBMP). The compound 3MH can be detected in its passionfruit- or gooseberry-like aromas and can also be described as sweaty or herbaceous. These qualities are central to the New Zealand’s distinctive Sauvignon Blanc style.
The classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc offers intense aromatics, racy acidity, and purity of fruit. These wines are typically fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel using cultured yeasts, avoid malolactic fermentation, and are bottled after a short period on lees. That said, the range of styles has expanded in recent years. There are a growing number of barrel-fermented examples, which may undergo a wild fermentation and be aged on lees for up to a year before bottling. This style first emerged in the early 1990s with Sacred Hill’s Sauvage and Cloudy Bay’s Te Koko. However, the flamboyancy of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is not always compatible with new oak, so its use requires a very careful hand to prevent the oak and grape from competing. Producers seem to have the most success restraining the aromas of Sauvignon Blanc when they hand-pick and whole-bunch press, followed by fermentation in older oak and larger formats. If malolactic fermentation takes place, it is only partial. For example, Te Koko was once 100% malolactic but is typically 10% today.
Beyond Marlborough, there are differing styles of Sauvignon Blanc. Martinborough examples are less overt, typically offering aromas of green grass rather than sweaty passionfruit. Nelson, situated west of Marlborough, often yields a more restrained sweet apple and tropical fruit character. Meanwhile, in the warmer climate of Hawke’s Bay, the wines are fuller bodied, with lower acidity and more muted characters overall.
There are some offbeat bottlings of Sauvignon Blanc as well, including several skin-contact examples, a handful of pétillants naturels, and dessert wine styles that can be found domestically. However, carbonated Sauvignon Blanc, which emerged following an oversupply situation in 2008, has largely disappeared from the market.
25,160 hectares in 202063% of vineyard land
Diacetyl is the compound that causes the buttery character often found in Chardonnay. It is a by-product of malolactic fermentation, and adding sulfur dioxide too soon after secondary fermentation has finished will preserve it. Delaying sulfur addition slightly allows lees to consume the diacetyl, a technique that has greatly reduced this buttery character for many New Zealand producers.
Chardonnay: This non-aromatic grape was New Zealand’s most planted variety from 1996 to 2002. While Sauvignon Blanc has far surpassed it in terms of plantings, top examples of New Zealand Chardonnay suggest that it may have even greater potential than the country’s Sauvignon Blanc. The first bottled Chardonnays emerged in the 1960s, coming from Auckland and Hawke’s Bay, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that new oak was introduced. American oak was initially favored, but when the first attempts at barrel fermentation in French oak took place in the early 1980s, it was clear that French oak was better suited to the fruit, as was carrying out not only maturation but also fermentation in barrel. Refining the style required plenty of trial and error by winemakers. It wasn’t until 1985 that Kumeu River’s Michael Brajkovich introduced malolactic fermentation—“despite being panned by conservative winemaker judges of the day,” according to local wine writer Geoff Kelly. Since that time, Kumeu River has been the country’s most coveted Chardonnay producer.
Chardonnay is a neutral variety that can adapt to many climates and be shaped by the winemaker. In general, the more temperate North Island yields a wine style that is fuller bodied, offering tropical fruit flavors and moderate acidity, whereas the cool South Island provides a tighter, fresher style, with notes of citrus and nectarine. There are few unoaked Chardonnays. Entry-level wines tend to receive oak stave treatment or have a brief encounter with a used barrel, but the finest wines are fermented in a barrel with a high percentage of new oak. Full malolactic fermentation is the norm, but the wines tend not to be buttery.
A fermentation with a high proportion of grape solids is a current trend, which, in combination with time on lees, often leads to reductive characteristics. A small amount of this reductive character can add a layer of complexity, but too much can dominate the wine.
3,222 hectares in 20208% of vineyard land
Pinot Gris: Pinot Gris has become a popular variety in New Zealand, rising from 1,725 hectares in 2011 to 2,593 in 2020 to become the third most planted white grape. However, in 2020 it was the second most prolific variety, providing higher yields than Chardonnay. Yet with average yields of about 75 to 80 hectoliters per hectare, the wines can lack intensity. They tend to be cool fermented in stainless steel with cultured yeast, creating an easy-drinking white wine. The style is typically off-dry and medium to full bodied, with notes of candied pear and apple. Some producers, however, are cropping at much lower yields and fermenting their wines in older barrels with extended time on fine lees, yielding wines with more character and texture.
2,593 hectares in 20206.5% of vineyard land
Other Varieties: Riesling and Gewürztraminer are well suited to New Zealand’s South Island and can be made dry, sweet, or anywhere in between. They offer classic varietal aromas and purity of fruit, with fine acidity that acts as a counterpoint to any residual sugar. Plantings, however, have declined in the past decade due in part to the difficulty of selling these wines.
There is also a buzz around so-called alternative white varieties, in particular Albariño and Grüner Veltliner. Collectively, these two grapes account for less than 100 hectares of the New Zealand vineyard area, equivalent to 0.2%. Albariño has found a home on both the North and South Islands. Its ability to withstand high rainfall has been particularly appealing in the country’s wetter regions, including Gisborne. Grüner Veltliner is mostly planted on the South Island and provides a fresh, fruity example of the grape.
Pinot Noir: Though Pinot Noir may have been in the ground prior to the 1880s, the first documentation of its presence indicates that William Beetham and his French wife planted it on their property in 1883, along with several other varieties. In 1895, the Dalmatian-born, Conegliano-trained Romeo Bragato—then the viticultural expert for the government of Victoria, Australia—toured the country in order to write a report entitled “Prospects of Viticulture in New Zealand.” Following his travels, he concluded that Pinot Noir was one of five red varieties that were eminently suited to the local climate. Today, Pinot Noir is New Zealand’s most planted red variety, but its success has been a more recent phenomenon.
The modern history of Pinot Noir in New Zealand begins in Auckland, which is now rightly considered too warm to make fine Pinot. Nikola "Nick" Nobilo planted Pinot Noir vines in Auckland in 1976; the first examples on the South Island were established close to Christchurch in the late 1970s, despite many claiming it was too cold to successfully grow grapes. They were proven wrong when Saint Helena won a gold medal for its wine at the national wine awards in 1983. While Central Otago has established itself as a Pinot Noir specialist since the turn of the century, the first example wasn’t made until 1987.
Nationwide, Pinot Noir plantings have risen exponentially since the 1990s. In 1995, there were just 415 hectares, which more than doubled by 2000 to 1,126 hectares; by 2020, plantings had grown approximately fivefold to 5,642 hectares. Pinot Noir continues to thrive in its original heartland of Wairarapa, home to the town of Martinborough, and the cool South Island.
The first modern plantings were based on a Swiss clone, 10/5 (Ten Bar Five), which was imported into New Zealand in the early 1960s by the government’s head of viticulture. This clone can taste green unless it is fully ripe. There is confusion over “true” 10/5, however, as there are two versions, which differ in their growing characteristics. While the clone has fallen out of favor for new plantings, some old vines continue producing quality wines with depth and complexity.
Many new plantings are either Dijon clones (113, 114, 115, 667, 777) or sourced from UC–Davis (UCD 5). There is also the Abel clone, otherwise known as the Gumboot clone, so-named for the legend that it was confiscated by New Zealand Customs from a New Zealander returning from France who claimed the cuttings hidden in his gumboot (rain boot) were from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. A customs officer who also happened to be winemaker, Malcolm Abel, funded the cuttings’ quarantine at the government viticultural research station, and when they were released, the founder of Martinborough’s Ata Rangi planted the material. It is common to find various clones planted in a single vineyard; they are often blended before bottling.
New Zealand has surprised the Pinot-loving world with its variety of regional expressions. The alluvial valleys of Marlborough produce fresh, fruity styles; Martinborough yields a rich, savory expression; hillside Waipara offers a meaty, brooding character; and Pinot Noir from the Central Otago is powerful yet vibrant. The quality is such that even a handful of Frenchmen have started to make Pinot Noir in New Zealand, most notably François Millet of Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, in a project with Prophet’s Rock. The wines are continually improving. In the early 2000s, when the grape was just gaining traction, extraction was overenthusiastic, and new oak was called upon to provide more stuffing and tannin. With maturation of both vineyard material and winemakers, top New Zealand Pinot Noir is increasingly refined. Even so, there is plenty of fresh, fruit-driven Pinot Noir for early consumption at entry-level price points.
5,642 hectares in 2020 14% of vineyard land
Merlot: Merlot has found its Kiwi home in Hawke’s Bay, which contains 90% of the nation’s plantings. Budding, flowering, and ripening at least a week before its blending partner Cabernet Sauvignon, it has traditionally been the favored Bordeaux variety. However, with its thinner skins and earlier ripening, Merlot has suffered in recent vintages due to untimely autumn rains, whereas Cabernet has been the more resilient grape. The expression of Merlot is typically a little fruitier and juicer than an equivalent Right Bank wine, with acidity and supple tannins. It provides flesh to Cabernet’s structural frame and can be found as a varietal style as well as part of a blend.
1,087 hectares in 2020 2.7% of vineyard land
Syrah: Despite limited plantings, Syrah thrives in New Zealand. It is truly distinctive, with blackberry, violet, and black pepper characters; juicy flesh; and fresh acidity. Syrah has long been planted in New Zealand. Romeo Bragato suggested in his 1895 report that it should account for as much as half of New Zealand’s vineyard area. However, the variety languished for most of the 20th century, until scientist and winemaker Dr. Alan Limmer took cuttings from the national viticulture center and planted them in his vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels district of Hawke’s Bay in 1984. The clone is today referred to as the MS clone or the Limmer clone and often found in Hawke’s Bay. The source of these cuttings is a subject of speculation. Some suggest they arrived in 1832 with James Busby or were planted by the Condrieu-born missionary Brother Elie-Regis on a steep slope that reminded him of Côte-Rôtie in 1839.
Today, 77% of New Zealand’s Syrah is planted in Hawke’s Bay, with another 12% concentrated in Auckland GI, notably on Waiheke Island. The warm temperatures and relatively low diurnal temperature variation on Waiheke create a riper, fleshier style than in Hawke’s Bay, with a savory, peppery twist. There are also a handful of cuvées produced in Martinborough and Marlborough.
437 hectares in 2020 1% of vineyard land
Cabernet Sauvignon: Though plantings are limited, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon is the backbone of some of New Zealand’s most expensive wines, including Villa Maria’s Ngakirikiri, Destiny Bay’s Magna Praemia, and Stonyridge's Larose. Grown mainly in Hawke’s Bay, it is rarely made into a varietal wine. The temperate maritime climate of the North Island and the typically alluvial soils of Hawke’s Bay don’t lend themselves to producing rich styles. However, when harvest is preceded by warm, dry conditions, the variety can attain full ripeness. A few successful 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines have been launched in recent years.
The finest Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines are often aged in French oak barrels for around 18 months. They have a core of dense black fruit, sometimes with a slight herbal edge but without green flavors. The wines tend to be medium bodied wine with a fine line of acidity.
219 hectares in 2020 0.5% of vineyard land
Despite being home to the country’s first grapevines, established in 1819, Northland’s subtropical climate and high annual rainfall (1,680 millimeters) discourage most serious grapegrowers today. Just 73 hectares were planted to 23 growers in 2020, equivalent to an average vineyard size of 3 hectares, making this more of a hobby industry than big business. There are just two producers that have a vineyard area bigger than 10 hectares, and no vineyard is larger than 20 hectares. As a result, a single contract wine facility in the town of Kerikeri produces a large number of the region’s wines.
Vineyards are widely dispersed, from Mangawhai in the south of the region to the Karikari Peninsula, about 250 kilometers further north. Accordingly, soil types vary enormously, although in the north, it’s common to find a variation on a theme of clay, clay loam, silt, and sand. There is also some volcanic influence in certain vineyards.
Vines grow in close proximity to the sea in Northland, sometimes overlooking the water. Frost is rare, and the diurnal temperature range is small. Vines bud, flower, and ripen much earlier here than in the cooler, more southerly parts of the country. As a result, this is usually the first place in New Zealand to harvest. Chardonnay is the region’s most planted variety, producing a ripe, fleshy style with much softer acidity than examples from further south. Pinot Gris is also popular with growers, which is likely a market-led decision rather than a choice based on terroir—in this humid and rainy climate, the grape’s thin skins and compact bunches make it prone to rot. However, it does ripen early thanks to the region’s warmer temperatures, and it is often the first variety to be picked, sometimes as early as January. Syrah is Northland’s most popular red grape. It can make appetizing, savory, and round examples, but picking decisions are crucial so that the wines retain freshness.
Known as the winterless north because of its mild climate, Northland is popular with both domestic and international tourists. In addition to the warm year-round temperatures, Northland is home to the Bay of Islands, which attracts sailors and wealthy yacht owners. Consequently, wineries often have a tasting room (known as a “cellar door” in New Zealand, as in Australia), a restaurant, and/or a hotel. Northland rarely exports its wines as they are not competitive internationally due to the high costs of production and the small size of the properties.
Historically, the Auckland GI has been of tremendous importance to the New Zealand wine scene, largely due to an influx of wine-loving Dalmatian immigrants. Many young men fled conscription or poverty under the Austro-Hungarian empire in the late 19th and early 20th century. While some chose to go to the Americas, others went to New Zealand to dig kauri trees, whose gum or resin was used to make varnish. The work was hard, and by the early 1900s, it was becoming more difficult to find gum. Those who had saved their money from digging, such as the Babich brothers, were able to buy land, and some planted vines in west Auckland.
Today, Auckland is home to 320 hectares of vines, but its humid climate makes it challenging to produce fine wine—although examples such as Kumeu River's Chardonnay wines prove it can be done. The pressure of urban sprawl has also made land very expensive. Wineries such as Villa Maria and Babich have retained wineries and tasting rooms in Auckland while transitioning a greater proportion of their vineyards and production to Marlborough.
Auckland can be considered in three sections: west Auckland, Matakana, and Waiheke Island. West Auckland is the historic heart of the region, with the small town of Kumeu perhaps its most famous area. It is warm compared to regions further south, with 1,401 growing degree days and growing season temperatures averaging 16.6 degrees Celsius (61.9 degrees Fahrenheit), comparable to the Yarra Valley in Australia or Rioja in Spain. The soils tend to be rich and fertile, and the climate is fairly humid, although sea breezes come in from the both the east and west. Despite this maritime influence, spring frosts can occur.
Waiheke Island is a 40-minute ferry ride from the Auckland city center. The island’s first Vitis vinifera vines were planted in 1977, and many small hillside vineyards overlooking the waters of the Hauraki Gulf have since been planted across the island. There are now around 25 wine producers, representing more than 200 hectares of vineyard. A single producer, Man O’ War, represents half of the island’s plantings, and its wines can be found in many export markets, but many wineries do not export. The high costs of production discourage overseas importers, and Waiheke Island’s thriving tourism trade (it has a population of less than 9,000 but receives around 900,000 visitors annually) enables many wineries to rely on direct-to-customer sales.
The island has a warm, maritime climate and a small diurnal temperature range. Late-ripening varieties including Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon can be successful here, when conditions permit. However, there are challenges of growing wine successfully on Waiheke. Wind can be an issue, and sheltered sites are required for late-ripening grapes to attain full maturity. In some years, drought affects the vines, and in other years, too much rainfall combined with the warm temperatures can lead to fungal disease pressure. While the eastern end of the island, home to Man O’ War, has volcanic influences, the main soil type on Waiheke is clay based. Many vineyards are planted on slopes, and there is often variation between the top and bottom of the slope, the gullies tending to be more alluvial.
Matakana is the final winegrowing area within Auckland. Situated just north of the city of Auckland, it is home to around 28 varieties planted across 70 hectares. Conditions are similar to the rest of the region, with a warm, humid climate and harvest rainfall. Likewise, the soils tend to be based on clay, often mixed with sand or loam. Bordeaux varieties were popular in the 1990s, although autumn rain poses an issue for ripening Cabernet Sauvignon in some seasons. As such, Syrah and certain Italian red grapes have increased in popularity. With so many varieties, it is difficult to make generalizations about wine styles, which can also differ from one producer to another. However, the warm climate and clay-based soils generally yield fleshy wines with gentle acidity and rich mouthfeel.
In terms of plantings, the most important variety in the Auckland region is by far Chardonnay, followed by Syrah, Pinot Gris, and red Bordeaux grapes.
Sitting on the far eastern tip of New Zealand’s North Island, Gisborne is the first region in the world to see the sun rising each day. Grapes were grown here as early as the 1840s by missionaries. In the 1970s and 1980s, Gisborne was the country’s largest wine producer, gaining a name for itself as “carafe country” due to the large volumes of wine it produced for the cask or bag-in-box market. Its fertile soils combined with a temperate maritime climate and a notable 2,475 hours of sunshine annually once yielded abundant crops from hybrid varieties and less-esteemed white vinifera grapes including Chasselas and Palomino.
While Gisborne continues to be a reliable producer of entry-level New Zealand wines, as well as carbonated sparkling wines for the domestic market, there are also a number of quality-oriented producers seeking to overcome Gisborne’s reputation as a bulk wine supplier. These include Matawhero, biodynamic estate Millton, and Vinoptima, a super-premium Gewürztraminer specialist that went out of business in 2018.
Chardonnay remains Gisborne’s most important grape variety in terms of plantings and reputation, accounting for approximately 50% of the region’s vineyard area. In this warm, sunny climate, ripeness is not a concern. Styles range from sparkling base wines to rich, barrel-fermented cuvées. There are also several promising Albariño wines that have emerged in recent years from grapes grown in Gisborne and produced by wineries based elsewhere, including Cooper’s Creek and Leftfield (part of the Villa Maria stable of brands).
Hawke’s Bay sits on the east coast of the North Island and is home to the country’s oldest winery, Mission Estate, which was founded in 1851 by Marist priests and continues to be owned by the Society of Mary. The wines were initially destined for sacramental use, but surplus was sold to the local community. By the end of the 19th century, viticulture had expanded beyond the religious order, with several important vineyards emerging, including Te Mata, which produces one of New Zealand’s most respected Bordeaux blends today. Following his visit in 1895, Romeo Bragato concluded, “The Hawke’s Bay Province is, in my opinion, the most suitable for vine-growing I have visited in New Zealand. It possesses thousands of acres which, by reason of the nature of the soil, natural drainage, and sufficiency of heat, will produce grapes of both table and wine-making varieties in rich abundance.”
While the first half of the 20th century was dominated by fortified wine production due to market demand, there were several pioneering individuals in Hawke’s Bay during the 1950s and 1960s who helped re-establish a focus on table wines. Instrumental in this effort were Tom McDonald and Dennis Kaska of McWilliams Wines, who planted and produced quality Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon in a sea of Port and Sherry lookalikes.
The 1980s were an important decade for the region. A government-sponsored vine pull saw the removal of 500 hectares of inferior vineyards, including many hybrids and Sherry-producing Palomino. This was also when the first vines were planted on the Gimblett Gravels, a former riverbed that is now home to some of the country’s most famous Syrahs and Bordeaux blends. Today, vines cover more than 5,000 hectares in Hawke’s Bay, making it the country’s second largest wine region. It specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Chardonnay. However, there is a remarkable diversity of grapes compared with other regions—there are nine varieties with plantings over 100 hectares.
Hawke’s Bay specializes in mid- to late-ripening varieties due to its temperate maritime climate. The proximity of the Pacific Ocean—some vineyards sit within a literal stone’s throw from the water’s edge—ensures that temperatures remain moderate even at the height of summer, rarely exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit). While the country’s largest wine region, Marlborough, has more in common with Burgundy when it comes to growing season temperatures, Hawke’s Bay is closer to conditions in Bordeaux. Hawke’s Bay enjoys an average growing season temperature of 16.3 degrees Celsius (61.3 degrees Fahrenheit), versus Bordeaux’s 16.5 degrees Celsius (61.7 degrees Fahrenheit). Likewise, the growing degree days are 1,334 versus 1,387.
However, the climate in Hawke’s Bay can vary markedly depending upon location. The vineyards closest to the Pacific Ocean, such as those in the village of Te Awanga, benefit from the water’s cooling influence in summer, while later-ripening varieties struggle to reach full maturity. Chardonnay is one of the most successful varieties closest to the coast, and Sauvignon Blanc can also grow well. The cooling sea breezes have less impact further inland, around the Gimblett Gravels and neighboring Bridge Pa Triangle. In the summer, afternoon temperatures can be around 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) higher in these inland vineyards than in their coastal counterparts. Grapes ripen earlier in the warmer areas—Chardonnay might be picked three weeks earlier in Gimblett Gravels than in Te Awanga. Further inland, hills rise up above the plains, and vines planted in locations such as the Crownthorpe Terraces and Dartmoor Valley benefit from the cooling influence of a small increase in altitude.
Due to these variations in climate, the major challenges for growers are also site dependent. Inland vineyards are more prone to frost than those by the coast, and it’s common to see frost fans among the vines, circulating air to keep temperatures above freezing. Autumn rain can be an issue, and several vintages between 2010 and 2020 suffered as a result of ex-tropical cyclones from the South Pacific hitting New Zealand during harvest (late February to mid-April).
Most of Hawke’s Bay’s vineyards are planted on the gravel-based alluvial soils of the Heretaunga Plains to the west of the city of Hastings. The soils are typically low in fertility and are free draining. The most renowned viticultural area of the plains is Gimblett Gravels, which was first planted in 1981 and now includes more than 800 hectares of vineyard. The region’s geology resulted from an 1867 earthquake that changed the course of the Ngaruroro River, leaving behind gravel, silt, and loam. Gimblett Gravels is home to some of New Zealand’s finest Bordeaux blends and Syrah. Due to its free-draining soils, vines cannot survive without daily irrigation. Luckily, aquifers underneath the deep gravel beds provide plentiful water. The soils are low in nutrients, and as a result, winemakers must be vigilant to avoid stuck ferments caused by a lack of nitrogen and to ensure that fermenting wines receive plenty of oxygen. The region’s wines tend to present a structured frame of tannins, and even grapes like Merlot can lack body. Winemakers use techniques such as blending and post-fermentation maceration to build mid-palate weight.
The adjacent, and lesser-known, Bridge Pa Triangle wine area covers around 2,000 hectares and offers fleshier styles than Gimblett Gravels due to its soils. It is also a former terrace of the Ngaruroro River, but the river has not flowed here for around 10,000 years rather than 150. Bridge Pa benefits from around half a meter of sandy loam covering the greywacke gravels, resulting in wines with more depth through the mid-palate.
While Pinot Noir is New Zealand’s most planted red variety, Hawke’s Bay is too warm to grow fine Pinot. Instead, it is home to 90% of New Zealand’s Bordeaux plantings and 75% of the nation’s Syrah. Merlot is the most planted of the Bordeaux varieties. It was traditionally favored due to its earlier ripening cycle—and earlier drinking window—but more recently, it has suffered from harvest rain while the later-ripening, thicker-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon has proved more resilient and enjoyed dry periods in April, providing finer wines. Warmer seasons resulting from climate change have also brought forward harvest dates, which favors Cabernet Sauvignon. Further, Cabernet Sauvignon performs better than Merlot on bony, gravel soils. Future planting figures may reflect Cabernet’s modern advantages.
When it comes to wine styles, Hawke’s Bay’s temperate, maritime climate is reflected in the ripe yet mid-weight styles of its Bordeaux blends and Syrahs. The wines of the Gimblett Gravels tend to be structured and elegant, while Bridge Pa examples offer a more opulent, lush character. Cabernet- and Merlot-based wines offer fresh fruit notes, and in the ripest of years, Cabernet Sauvignon retains its varietal characteristics, showing black currant fruit and a hint of green herbal aromas but not green tannins. The very finest examples spend around 18 months in French oak before bottling.
Hawke’s Bay Syrah has a distinctive character. While these wines can be confused with those of the Northern Rhône because they also offer a cooler-climate interpretation of Syrah, they tend to be more brightly fruited. Aromatically, Hawke’s Bay Syrah presents ripe blackberry fruit, violets, smoked bacon, black pepper, and sometimes green peppercorn. The wines are typically medium bodied with notable acidity. In dry vintages, some of the top producers will include whole bunches to bring greater lift, but in wet years like 2017, this is best avoided.
As for white wines, Chardonnay is the region’s calling card for fine wine lovers. The style tends to be medium to full bodied with more flesh and tropical fruit than examples from Marlborough. Ambitious producers might employ high solid inclusion, wild fermentation, and maturation on lees post barrel fermentation. However, Chardonnay is not the region’s most planted white variety. That title goes, somewhat surprisingly given the climate, to Sauvignon Blanc. It is not particularly suited to Hawke’s Bay; the wines are relatively muted aromatically and lack the zesty refreshment of examples from Marlborough. As a result, Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc is generally sold at an entry-level price point.
When Romeo Bragato completed his tour of New Zealand in 1895, he concluded that the Wairarapa, along with Hawke’s Bay, was best suited to growing grapevines. His verdict was no doubt influenced by the plantings of William Beetham and his wife, who established vines on their estate east of the town of Masterton in 1883. Despite promising results, prohibition in the area forced them to uproot their vines in 1908. It was another 70 years before Wairarapa regained momentum. In 1978, government soil scientist Derek Milne conducted a survey of the soil and climate of the country and concluded that Martinborough, which is the most famous of Wairarapa’s subregions, was perfectly suited to growing grapes, in particular Pinot Noir. Several vineyards were established in the following years, including Dry River Wines, Martinborough Vineyard, and Ata Rangi.
The agricultural Wairarapa region represents around 3% of the New Zealand vineyard area but just 1% of its wine production due to low yields. Sitting at the southern tip of the North Island, it has a cool, windy climate, resulting in small berries and bunches. The climate is defined by the proximity of the ocean as well as the surrounding mountains, which provide protection from the rainfall that occurs in nearby areas. Wairarapa has a dry, sunny climate; a large diurnal temperature range; and high winds, particularly in springtime, which affect flowering and fruit set. There are marginal differences within Wairarapa. For example, the Martinborough GI is slightly drier, warmer, and windier than Gladstone and Masterton to the north.
Wairarapa’s vineyards lie on alluvial terraces created by the Ruamahanga River. Silty loams sit over free-draining gravels, which can be as deep as 15 meters in places. There are subtle differences in the different districts. Martinborough is further downstream and, as a result, the river gravels have broken down further, tending to be finer than those further upstream at Gladstone, which also has silt and loam. Limestone can be found among Masterton’s gravels.
Wairarapa has established itself in the global market with its fine, savory Pinot Noir, which accounts for around half of all plantings. The windy yet dry and sunny conditions lead to small, thick-skinned berries, producing wines that have deep color, abundant tannin (for Pinot), and savory nuances. The naturally low crop levels also provide depth and concentration. Further, cool conditions and a wide diurnal temperature range (a difference of 20 degrees Celsius, or 36 degrees Fahrenheit, between day and night is common in summer) ensure that fruit flavor and bright acidity are preserved even when full ripeness is attained. The finest wines are aged in oak for 12 to 18 months and, when released, can be aged in bottle for 8 to 10 years or more. Around two-thirds of producers in the Wairarapa own less than five hectares, and this small scale of winemaking paired with naturally low yields results in limited quantities of premium-priced Pinot Noir.
Sauvignon Blanc is also widely planted in the Wairarapa region, representing around one-third of the vineyard area (328 of 1,039 hectares in 2020). Typically, the style is more restrained compared to Marlborough, which lies across the Cook Strait. Rather than overtly sweaty, tropical characters, Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc leans toward a more citrusy, grassy expression. The style is often concentrated, with firm but balanced acidity. While inert vessels are typically used to preserve the wine’s fruit purity and express terroir, it is common to find cuvées that have been wild fermented in barrel.
Chardonnay plays a small role in terms of plantings in Wairarapa (around 5% of the hectarage), but there are some high-quality barrel-fermented examples, particularly in Martinborough, which offer elegance and complexity. Pinot Gris has overtaken Chardonnay in terms of plantings in recent years, but that has been market driven rather than relating to its suitability to the region. That said, there are several high-quality examples that demonstrate that with care in both the vineyard and the winery, Pinot Gris can offer texturally appealing expressions. Wairarapa Riesling tends to be more universally impressive, with concentration, piercing acidity, and longevity.
Despite Marlborough’s ascendancy in the New Zealand wine scene, the region’s viticultural history is remarkably recent. While there were several isolated attempts to grow vines and make wines in the late 19th century, the region’s modern wine history began in 1973. Frank Yukich, a director of Montana (today Brancott Estate, under the ownership of Pernod Ricard), purchased 1,200 hectares of land in this farming region without the knowledge of the winery’s board. At that time, there were no vineyards—just a lot of sheep. Many believed New Zealand’s South Island was too cold to grow vines, including members of the Montana board, who were rather displeased when they found out Yukich had paid NZ$1.3 million for the land. In hindsight, he got a bargain.
The first varieties planted, Müller-Thurgau and Cabernet Sauvignon, did not fare well. Lack of knowledge played a role: some cuttings were planted upside down, and the young plants did not receive the water they needed to survive. In 1975, the first Sauvignon Blanc was planted in Montana’s Brancott Vineyard, producing Marlborough’s first examples of the wine in 1979. Within a decade, the naturally overt style had made a real impression, not just domestically but on an international stage. Leading UK wine writers exalted this New World expression of Sauvignon Blanc, and overseas investment came from the likes of Cape Mentelle’s David Hohnen of Margaret River, who established the Cloudy Bay brand in 1985.
From a sheep farming backwater in the early 1970s, Marlborough has become a region known globally for its inimitable style of Sauvignon Blanc. It is the powerhouse of the New Zealand wine industry, representing 70% of the national vineyard area, with Sauvignon Blanc leading the charge. In 2020, vines covered more than 27,800 hectares of the region, a seven-fold increase in 20 years.
Located in the northeastern corner of the South Island, Marlborough was once considered too cold to grow grapes. The Māori name for Marlborough is Kei puta te Wairau, meaning “the place with the hole in the cloud.” It is indeed very sunny, basking in 2,475 hours of sunshine annually. This compares favorably with Sancerre, which receives just 1,800 hours of sunshine each year. Marlborough also has a fairly dry climate, with 700 millimeters of rain annually. Mountain ranges on the east coast provide a barrier to cold winds off the Pacific, and temperatures throughout the season are comparable to those of Burgundy. For example, the average growing season temperature is 15.2 degrees Celsius (59.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in Marlborough, compared with 15.1 degrees Celsius (59.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in Burgundy. Marlborough has 1,118 growing degree days and Burgundy 1,068.
Marlborough occupies the northeastern corner of the South Island. The region is generally divided in two: the Wairau Valley to the north and the Awatere Valley to the south. The Southern Valleys, despite its name, is between them. The Wairau River flows through the Wairau Valley before it empties out into the Cloudy Bay. The Wairau Valley is protected by the Richmond Ranges and Wither Hills, found to the north and south, respectively. The climate differs between Marlborough’s two major valleys, the Wairau Valley and the Awatere Valley. The Wairau Valley is the original and largest grapegrowing area, while the Awatere Valley was first planted in 1986 and has since grown to more than 7,000 hectares of vineyard. If these two Marlborough valleys were treated as separate regions in the national vineyard area table, they would still take the number one and two spots, such is their size compared with the rest of the country. The Awatere is cooler and windier than the Wairau Valley due to exposure to coastal winds. The winds can affect bunch and berry sizes and thicken skins. The cooler weather also means grapes ripen later in the Awatere than in the Wairau and display higher acidity as well as green flavors.
The main soil type of the Marlborough region is alluvial. The valley floors are former riverbeds and consist of gravels as well as silt, sand, and loam deposited by the river. Silty patches tend to provide more fertility, while bony, gravel-rich sections act as a natural curb on Sauvignon’s otherwise-enthusiastic growth; some vine rows even appear to gently undulate, reflecting the river’s impact. In the Southern Valleys, richer soils including loess and occasionally clay provide better moisture retention. Combined with a north-facing aspect, the Southern Valleys region is increasingly valued for its affinity with Pinot Noir. Compared with the fresh and fruity offerings from free-draining soils of the valley floor, the slopes of the Southern Valleys create Pinot Noir with substance and seriousness.
Marlborough, however, has most of its eggs in the Sauvignon Blanc basket: 80% of the region’s vineyard area is dedicated to this aromatic variety. The next most planted grape is Pinot Noir, accounting for 10% of the region’s plantings. Pinot Gris and Chardonnay each represent around 4%. The remaining 2% of Marlborough’s vineyard is divided between a host of aromatic whites and a few later-ripening reds planted by optimistic growers.
This cool, sunny climate produces bright, fruit-forward wines. The idiosyncratic style of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has put New Zealand on the map. While stainless steel-fermented wines represent the bulk of the volume produced, winemakers are increasingly experimenting with alternative styles that focus on texture rather than aromatic expression. Their techniques include hand-harvesting, whole-bunch pressing, wild yeast fermentation, high-solids fermentation, barrel fermentation, and lees work.
Marlborough Pinot Noir has not enjoyed the same reputation as examples of the grape from Martinborough or Central Otago, despite accounting for almost half of the country’s plantings. The bulk of the region’s Pinot Noir comes from the valley floor, producing simple, fruit-driven styles that are best consumed while young. However, the installation of an irrigation scheme in the Southern Valleys in 2004, opening up the north-facing loess and clay slopes of Marlborough to viticulture, is promising. Additionally, better vine material, including more appropriate clones; increased vine age; and a more hands-off approach to winemaking—particularly less extraction and pulling back on new oak use—have led to major improvements.
Pinot Gris and Chardonnay are the only other two varieties with significant plantings in Marlborough. Driven by market demand, Pinot Gris production generally employs cool fermentation to produce a neutral, off-dry style with subtle pear flavors. Chardonnay, however, can produce exceptional results in Marlborough. While there are many differences between Marlborough and Burgundy, there are several similarities in terms of temperatures and rainfall. The high levels of sunshine here can result in very fruity styles, but the best wines are restrained and savory. The finest producers treat their fruit with care: whole-bunch fermentation, high solids, quality French oak barrels, and extended periods on lees are the norm. In this cool climate, full malolactic fermentation is typically favored.
A host of sparkling wines produced using the traditional method demonstrate that Marlborough is also a region with great potential for sparkling. However, the Marlborough wine industry’s success is based on Sauvignon Blanc that is typically fermented in stainless steel before being bottled young and released within months of the harvest. In contrast, sparkling wine production is a lengthy process that requires specialist equipment and expertise. Champagne house LVMH is involved in Marlborough through ownership of Cloudy Bay, Deutz has produced Marlborough sparkling wine since 1990, and G. H. Mumm has also made a Marlborough wine, but interest in producing a Champagne lookalike in New Zealand remains limited. There are local attempts at raising the bar, however, including the group Methode Marlborough, created in 2013 to set a framework for quality production. The group’s members must use the three Champagne varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, and wines must spend at least 18 months on lees.
Nelson is a relatively small wine region an approximate two hours’ drive west of Marlborough across the densely forested Richmond Range. It represents around 3% of the country’s vineyard area with 1,100 hectares, and the average size of a holding is below the national average at 12 hectares. In this sunny, maritime climate, the landscape is not dominated by vines; hops, berries, and kiwifruit are important crops here.
Nelson’s first winery was established in 1868 and operated until 1939, followed by 35 years of dormancy before the region’s industry reemerged. Austrian Hermann Seifried, who had traveled to New Zealand to make apple wine, started planting grapevines in 1974. By 1983, Seifried had been joined by a number of other pioneering individuals, and there were 35 hectares planted. Among the winemaking pioneers were Tim and Judy Finn, a young couple that founded Neudorf in 1978. Today, Neudorf is the region’s most important fine wine brand, showing Nelson’s capacity for producing premium Chardonnay.
Sitting in the northwest corner of New Zealand, Nelson receives more rain than regions on the east coast, with approximately 960 millimeters annually, compared with Marlborough’s 700. However, it is afforded some shelter from hills to the west and south. Located around Tasman Bay, Nelson’s vineyards enjoy a cool, maritime climate. In close proximity to the coast, the summer days are cooled by sea breezes and the evening lows are moderated. The smaller diurnal temperature differences in Nelson, when compared with a region such as Central Otago, result in a gentle style of wine. The region has high sunlight hours, and locals claim it is the sunniest region in New Zealand—though those in Marlborough make the same claim.
Nelson is divided into two subregions. The Waimea Plains are dominated by alluvial soils. Waimea means “river garden” in Māori, and this low-lying land was once the riverbed. The free-draining, gravelly nature of the soils means that irrigation is required. The resulting wines tend to be light in body. The Moutere Hills rise to the northwest of the Waimea Plains. Here, the weather is slightly wetter and warmer, and the soils are gravelly clay, which retains more moisture than the alluvial plains, allowing some producers to dry-farm their vineyards. As compared to the Waimea Plains, the Moutere Hills region provides fuller-bodied, weightier expressions.
Sauvignon Blanc is Nelson’s most planted variety, accounting for a little more than half of all vineyards. It tends to be slightly more restrained aromatically than Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. In a 2015 study evaluating regional yeast strains, scientists discovered that Nelson had the most distinctive signature, offering a greater concentration of sweet and apple fruit compared with the country’s other major Sauvignon Blanc-producing regions. The location of the vineyard—whether on the plains or the hills—plays an important role in the profile and texture of the wine, however.
Chardonnay and Pinot Gris each account for about 10% of the region’s plantings. Some elegant barrel-fermented Chardonnay is made in the Waimea Plains, and richer, savory styles tend to be produced in the Moutere Hills. Yields play an important role in determining the concentration of the wines, and winemaking decisions are also key to each producer’s expression. The region’s Pinot Gris is typically made in a soft, off-dry style that is approachable in youth.
In this cool, maritime climate, it is unsurprising that Pinot Noir is the most planted red variety, accounting for approximately 15% of the vineyard area. Diurnal temperature swings are moderate, leading to a gentler interpretation of the grape. The alluvial soils on the plains typically yield fresh, fruity, and light-bodied Pinot Noir with fine tannins. However, alluvial soils are by their nature changeable, and when the proportion of silt and loam increases, the wines tend to have more substance. On the hills, Pinot Noir is full bodied and fleshy, with mouthcoating tannins. Varied winemaking techniques are employed, from cold soak and whole-bunch fermentation to oak usage and the occasional amphora, providing diversity in Nelson’s Pinot Noir wines.
The vines of North Canterbury are concentrated around the village of Waipara, around an hour’s drive north of Christchurch, the South Island’s major city. It is a relatively new wine region, with the first vineyards planted in the early 1980s. In 2020, vines covered 1,222 hectares, most of them planted since the millennium, with hectarage rising threefold in just 20 years.
Waipara Valley GI, situated within North Canterbury GI, has a cool climate, with 1,065 growing degree days, similar to Marlborough’s Wairau Valley and Martinborough. However, with an average growing season temperature of 15.7 degrees Celsius (60.3 degrees Fahrenheit), it is one of the coolest viticultural areas in the country. As a result, varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Riesling thrive. Frost can be an issue, particularly on the valley floors, and frost fans are often utilized. Most of North Canterbury’s vines lie to the north of the town of Amberley. Here, the Teviotdale Hills rise, protecting the area from cold easterly winds blowing in off Pegasus Bay. However, wind continues to be an issue for growers. Rows of trees, known as shelter belts, are planted to protect vineyards from the worst gusts, but this also attracts birds, and vineyards must be netted after veraison to protect the crop. Warm northwesterly winds also blow across the plains in summer, and when combined with low rainfall (around 620 millimeters annually), this can cause water stress. Irrigation is permitted and necessary.
The Waipara Valley can be split into two distinct areas: the valley floor and the hillsides. The valley floor is a former riverbed, offering free-draining, alluvial soils that are known as the Glasnevin Gravels. Here, gravel and sandy loams dominate. The resulting wines tend to be light in body, aromatic, and finely textured. The hillside vineyards face north and northwest and offer richer soil types, including loam, clay loam, and some limestone. Pinot Noir from these hillsides is particularly exciting, offering brooding, savory styles. Heading further inland from Waipara toward the Southern Alps, which form the spiny backbone of the South Island, is the small settlement of Waikari, once home to a lime quarry. Several vineyards have been planted on the local limestone, a rare soil type in New Zealand.
The main variety planted in North Canterbury is Pinot Noir. The cool climate allows for slow maturation, preserving the grape’s acidity and developing complex aromatics. The general standard is high, and the resulting styles are distinctive, particularly those from the hillsides, which offer a savory and spicy expression that is quite unlike Pinot Noir from the rest of the country. The wine community is relatively young and experimental. Producers are playing with different techniques and low-intervention methods, including wild yeast, whole-bunch fermentations, minimal sulfur additions, and undertaking the occasional fermentation in the actual vineyard.
Sauvignon Blanc is the most planted white variety in North Canterbury, producing a slightly more restrained expression than that of Marlborough, which sits 250 kilometers to the north. There are some high-quality barrel-fermented examples as well. However, North Canterbury is perhaps better known for its Riesling. The region represents just 3% of the national vineyard area but holds an impressive 30% of the country’s Riesling plantings. Styles range from dry to sweet, and botrytis influence is not uncommon. The wines have fresh acidity and often present spice and orange notes.
The world’s most southerly wine region, Central Otago offers a dramatic viticultural backdrop, with its snow-capped mountains and glacial lakes. It has become, in recent years, the adventure capital of New Zealand, with bungee jumps, speedboat rides down narrow canyons, and heliskiing, to name just a few. Visits to the region’s cellar doors are a little more sedate.
Despite enjoying a global reputation for its deeply colored, powerful Pinot Noirs, Central Otago only recently made its foray into winemaking—the first commercial wines were produced in 1987. Historically, the region was better known for its orchards. However, there was grapegrowing here in the mid-19th century. Frenchman Jacques Bladier planted the first vines with cuttings shipped from Australia in the early 1860s, but he didn’t stay to see any wine produced, selling his land to one of his countrymen, Jean Desire Feraud, who continued Bladier’s efforts. Central Otago was Romeo Bragato’s first stop on his 1895 vineyard tour, and he concluded that it was a cool, arid climate, but grapevines could be planted in its warmer areas, including Cromwell and Bannockburn—the heartland of production today. It would take another 80 years for Central Otago’s appetite for growing grapes to be revived.
Irish journalist Alan Brady purchased 16 acres of land in the Gibbston area of Central Otago in 1976 and planted the first experimental vineyard in 1981. Meanwhile, Rolfe Mills, whose family owned a farm on the shores of Lake Wanaka, started experimenting with grapes, planting a few rows of a range of varieties beginning in 1975. This would become Rippon Vineyard. The pioneering duo was joined by Ann Pinckney, who founded Taramea, and in 1985, the three produced their first wines together, a Gewürztaminer and a Chasselas. Two years later, the first commercial wines were made, including Pinot Noir from Brady and from Mills, branded as Gibbston Valley and Rippon, respectively.
Since then, Central Otago has developed a reputation for its Pinot Noir, which accounts for more than 75% of its vineyard area. Located at 45˚ S, Central Otago is unique in New Zealand for its semi-continental climate. It is separated from New Zealand’s west coast by three mountain ranges, resulting in very dry conditions, as the rain-bearing westerlies off the Tasman Sea lose most of their moisture over the high peaks. Wanaka, is the wettest part of the region, receiving around 700 millimeters of rain annually, similar to Marlborough. The grapegrowing areas to the southeast are increasingly dry. Cromwell receives only an approximate 440 millimeters of rain, and Alexandra, in the far southeastern corner of the region, is home to the most arid spot in the country, with an average annual rainfall of just 363 millimeters. As a result, irrigation is a necessity.
In Central Otago, a destination for many local and overseas skiers, snow is not confined to the winter months. The region’s erratic climate can include snowfall in spring, fall, and even on the peaks in summer. Seasons are often bookended by frost, with growers hoping that grapes will reach full maturity before it strikes. In 2019, for example, three consecutive nights of frost in the first week of April left many vines without leaves, and most of the crop was harvested rapidly.
The region’s wine producers are the furthest in the country from the coast and experience some of the widest diurnal temperature ranges. In summer, temperatures can reach 30 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day while night temperatures can fall to just above freezing. The heat of summer days is intensified by the clean air and lack of ozone protection, threatening painful sunburn. Central Otago’s latitude also means that the daylight hours are long, which is critical in the ripening process, particularly in cool years or when crop loads are heavier. Due to these climatic conditions, regular frost fighting is a normal part of a viticulturist’s life. The hot days and intense sunlight require careful canopy management. Vines typically run north-south, and the west-facing bunches must have greater leaf protection against the fierce afternoon sun. Wind can also be an issue, exacerbating the dry climate and causing the vines to experience water stress, shut their stomata, and stop photosynthesizing. On the positive side, such low humidity makes organic farming much easier.
There is little organic matter in this arid region, so vineyard managers also have to work with low-fertility soils. The terraces seen across the region were formed by glaciers, and while the parent rock is schist, topsoils are diverse, with gravel, silt, loess, and occasionally clay.
Central Otago represents just 5% of the country’s vineyard area but accounts for more than one quarter of New Zealand’s Pinot Noir plantings. These wines made their first global splash with the 2002 vintage, which was showcased to wine critics in London. At that time, there were just 530 hectares planted, compared to 1,930 in 2020. It was a bold, blockbuster vintage with high levels of ripeness, plentiful fruit, and liberal use of new oak. Deeply colored wines are naturally produced here due to the high diurnal temperature ranges and the high levels of UV light, which increase the thickness of grape skins. The cool nights also help to preserve natural fruit exuberance and acidity. However, at that time, winemakers also tended to maximize fruit ripeness, leading to high alcohol levels, and new oak use and extraction were overenthusiastic. More recently, producers have reined in this style. Many famous winemakers now pick earlier than they did in the early 2000s, leading to more balanced expressions, and punchdowns tend to occur once rather than three times per day—or in some cases, only once a ferment. The maturation of vines and winemakers has led to improved skin and seed tannin, and oak is less essential for providing tannins and flavor. In certain vintages, producers might also experiment with whole-bunch fermentation.
The interpretation of Central Otago Pinot Noir relies upon many factors, but in this young region, what is less clear is the importance of subregion on style. The coolest and westernmost so-called subregion, Gibbston, is closest to the urban center of Queenstown, and it is perhaps the easiest to identify in a lineup. Gibbston Pinot Noir offers lifted aromatics, delicacy, and notable acidity—but it is risky to make wine in this most marginal of areas. The majority of the region’s vines (70%) are planted around the shores of Lake Dunstan for practical reasons—this area is warmer than Gibbston, and there is a ready source of irrigation water. While the areas around and close to the lake—Bannockburn, Bendigo, Cromwell, Lowburn, and Pisa—are referred to as subregions, it can be difficult to identify differences between them. The season and the producer are often more influential. Bannockburn, the warmest of these subregions, was promoted to GI status in 2022. To the northwest of Lake Dunstan, Wanaka’s more temperate and slightly wetter climate tends to produce more mellow, gentler expressions of Pinot Noir, but that assessment is based on a very small number of producers. Meanwhile, heading in the opposite direction, to the southeast of Lake Dunstan, Alexandra’s producers pick a little later than their lakeside counterparts, with cold nights slowing maturation and providing a more red-fruited, herbal expression, with ripe flavors and bright acidity.
While Pinot Noir is Central Otago’s calling card, the region is also capable of making interesting white wines, notably from Chardonnay and Riesling, which retain striking acidity in this cool climate. The finest Chardonnays are barrel fermented and offer ripe orchard fruit and citrus flavors in a mid-weight package. Riesling can be dry to sweet or anything in between. Typically low yielding, the wines have a high level of dry extract and present citrus and floral flavors as well as both purity and tension. The most planted white variety, however, is Pinot Gris. While it often fails to excite, there are a number of producers who treat the grape with respect, cropping low and creating intensity of flavor. The styles are typically dry and off-dry with fine acidity and freshness.
Waitaki Valley North Otago GI, usually known as Waitaki but also called North Otago, is New Zealand’s smallest region, with just 60 hectares of vineyard in 2020. It boasts a handful of pioneering producers. Attracted by the area’s limestone, the first plantings were made at the start of the century, and the first wine was produced in 2003.
Plantings grew to around 100 hectares before contracting to the current 60. Many of the lost plantings were established by a vineyard developer and sold to wealthy individuals who had romantic notions of making their own wine, which is very difficult in this marginal climate.
The heart of the Waitaki region, Kurow, is a 160-kilometer drive northwest of Cromwell in Central Otago, toward the coast. The influence of the cold ocean about 50 kilometers away plays a large part in the climate. Waitaki receives just 850 growing degree days, making it the coldest viticultural area in New Zealand, and ripening can be a challenge. It is less prone to frost than Central Otago due to its relative proximity to the sea. Situated toward the east, Waitaki is also very dry, with 380 millimeters of rainfall annually, and irrigation is required.
In this cool location, yields are typically tiny, leading to wines of high concentration. The grape varieties of choice are Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Pinot Gris. The wines, when ripe, are highly aromatic with refreshing acidity.
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Compiled by MW Rebecca Gibb (June 2021)
Edited by Stacy Ladenburger
Hey Juan! Bodega Otronia in Sarmiento sits at 45.5311° S, and the southernmost part of Central Otago hits 45.4748°S. Therefore, Sarmiento does win by .0563˚. The guide is updated.
I believe the southernmost wine region in the world is now in Argentina with the Sarmiento IG
Hey Réza, Nelson is the winemaking region most impacted by wet weather due to an orographic rain effect, caused by humid westerly winds.
Hello, Which region of NZ is the most humid please? It is Nelson?
So New Zealand's higher UV radiation is not primarily due to the proximity of the Ozone Hole in general. While there can be some effect, it's actually for three main reasons:1. Overall, the Southern Hemisphere has higher UV radiation due to the Earth's elliptical orbit. The Earth is closer to the Sun during the Southern Hemisphere's summer which contributes to a 7% increase in UV.2. The Southern Hemisphere has less ozone not due to the hole, but because of how the generation of ozone works. The Southern Hemisphere is 10% more efficient in distributing ozone from the equator to higher latitudes in the summer months which leads to less ozone. In other words it's dissipating faster so it has a lower concentration. This is when the hole is at its smallest or "closed."3. New Zealand, specifically, has cleaner air (as mentioned in the guide). Pollution scatters UV radiation more and New Zealand has less pollution than many other areas. I'd argue that the Southern Hemisphere as a whole has less pollution as well.In fact, when the ozone hole is the largest starting around September and October (spring), New Zealand has its highest concentration of ozone. While I didn't find and specific reason, looking at pictures and video about this phenomenon, my guess is that as the hole expands, it creates a wall. As ozone forms at the equator and moves to higher latitudes, this "wall" compresses the ozone meaning higher concentration. When the hole closes in the summer, then more normal ozone concentrations occur which is 300 Dobson Units over New Zealand. See the last link for videos about this. I also attached a pic from this site to show the hole during a 40 year period. Red is the highest ozone while dark blue is the lowest.With that said, I found an article that mentions the prevailing winds during the spring will briefly expand that hole over New Zealand, but now I can't find it. It definitely affects the climate, but not in the way we think. And you will find news articles that blame the hole, but the prevailing scientific thought is it's a minimal effect.Links (the first two are essentially the same, the 3rd explicitly states the ozone hole has a minimal effect):https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/videos/87-why-are-uv-levels-high-in-new-zealand-summerhttps://environment.govt.nz/publications/our-atmosphere-and-climate-2017/exposure-to-ultraviolet-sunlight/new-zealands-uv-levels/https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/uv-intensityhttps://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/2019s-ozone-hole-context
Hey Thomas! Ōhau is still unofficial as it is not within the GI registry. Maybe as other producers start up there will be a movement towards solidifying it.
It seems like there is a new additional sub-region on the west coast of the Northern Island called Ōhau.
https://www.nzwine.com/en/regions/other/
Hey Anthony! Would you mind highlighting the page you are talking about, as the Compendium features the 2022 NZ winegrowers data.
There’s an inconsistency between this guide and the compendium regarding top white variety plantings. The guide states Sauvignon Blanc then Chardonnay, whereas the compendium states Chardonnay and then Sauvignon Blanc (citing a 2014 NZ winegrowers Report)
Hey Brandon! Gibbston is further west with a longitude of 168.9568° E vs Wanaka's 169.1417° E. The guide is updated. Thanks!