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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 as the queen’s representative 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, the world most southerly wine region 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 further 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 incorrectly attributed a reductive character to New Zealand wine due to bottling under screwcap. This is incorrect, as screwcaps will still 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.
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 acetete (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.
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.”
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
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.
Diacetyl is the compound that causes the buttery character often found in Chardonnay. It is a result of using sulfur dioxide soon after fermentation. Holding back from sulfur use and allowing lees to consume the diacetyl has greatly reduced this buttery character for many New Zealand producers.
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.
Red Grapes
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. 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 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
Northland
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.
Regional plantings chart TK (?)
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.