CSW Chapter 18- New Zealand

New Zealand

Aotearoa aka Land of the Long White Cloud

Māori

In 1300 these people were the first to settle in NZ

James Cook

In 1769 this explorerer claimed NZ for the British

The Treaty of Waitangi

Signed in 1840, this document formalized a peaceful relationship between the British and the Māori people

Mission Estate Winery

Established in 1851, this winery is the oldest in NZ, located in the Hawke’s Bay region

North Island and South Island

These are the two main islands of NZ

50 miles

Few parts of NZ are more than X miles from the sea

Southern Alps

This primary topographic feature of the South Island runs the length of the island along the western coast and keeps the eastern part of the island drier and sunnier

80%

What % of NZ wine production is white wine?

65%

What % of wine planted in NZ is Sauvignon Blanc ?

Sauvignon Blanc

NZ wine known for tropical fruit flavors, stone fruit (peach, nectarine, apricot), and grassiness

SB, Chard, PG, Riesling, Gewurz

Top 5 white grapes in NZ

Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cab, Malbec, Cab Franc, Syrah

Top 6 red grapes of NZ

11 GIs and 9 sub-zones

How many GIs and how many sub-zones exist in NZ?

85%

% minimum for stated grape variety, vintage, or region of origin

Marlborough

• on the South Island

• 2/3 of the country’s vines and grape production

• Top grape is SB, followed by PN.

  • Then Chard, PG, Riesling, Gewurz, Viognier

• Traditional method sparkling marketed under Methode ~place~

• Cloudy Bay and Clifford Bay are along the coast

• 3 subregions- Wairau Valley, Awatere Valley, and Southern Valleys

Wairau Valley

• subregion of Marlborough

• Aka the place with the hold in the cloud

• One of the sunniest regions

• Known for stony, alluvial soils and cool climate

Awatere Valley

• subregion of Marlborough

• Goes from the coast to the Kaikoura Ranges

• Cool, dry, windy with elevation vineyards

The Southern Valleys

• subregion of Marlborough

• Omaka, Fairhall, Brancott, Ben Morvan, and Wachovia Valleys

• Heavier clay based soils

Hawke’s Bay

• second largest wine region, both size and production

• North Island

• One of the warmest regions

• Top producer of red wine other than PN. Top grapes are PN, Cab, Merlot, Syrah (1/3 of plantings)

• Whites- SB, Chard, PG

• Gimblett Gravels- warm area with greywackle soils, planted with red Bordeaux varietals and Syrah

Gisborne

• North Island, east coast and north of Hawke’s Bay

• “Chardonnay capital of NZ”- 50% chard

  • Followed by PG, SB, Gewurz

  • Sparkling! And Merlot

• 3 subregions of Manutuke, Ormond, and Patutahi

• First region after international date line

Wairarapa

• southern end of the North Island near city of Wellington

• 50% Pinot Noir, then SB, then PG/Syrah/Riesling

• Maritime climate

• 3 subregions- Masterton, Martinborough, and Gladstone

Waitaki Valley/North Otago

• follows the course of the Waitaki River between the foothills of the Southern Alps and the coast of the South Island.

• Limestone based soils with loess and allluvial deposits, as it was at one point under water

• Remote, cool climate area

• Mainly PN, Riesling, PG, chard

Central Otago

• south end of the South Island

• Inland and mountainous. Highest elevation vineyards in NZ and one of the southernmost winemaking regions in the world. Moderate continental climate

• Mainly Pinot Noir- excellent structure, moderate to full tannins, and aromas associated with red fruits, raspberries, and herbs

  • Also grow Chard, PG, SB, and Riesling

• Has 6 subregions- Wanaka, Gibbston, Bannockburn, Alexandra, Bendigo, Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa

Canterbury

• on the eastern coastline of the South Island, between the Southern Alps and the Pacific Ocean

• Dry, warm summers punctuated by dry “nor’wester” winds

• PN are SB are top grapes, then Chard, Riesling, PG

• Subregion North Canterbury is the northern part with Rakia River to the south

• Subregion Waipara Valley (within North Canterbury) has gravel and clay soils near city of Christchurch

Nelson

• west of Marlborough on the South Island

• Known for SB, then chard/PN/Riesling

• This was the first city on the South Island, established in 1841

• Surrounded on all sides by mountains, but one of the sunniest areas