New Zealand wine is largely produced in ten major wine growing regions spanning latitudes 36° to 45° South and extending 1,600 km (1,000 miles). This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant Growing regions where Vineyards are planted They are, from north to south Northland, Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and Central Otago. Geography Northland is located in what is often referred to by New Zealanders as the Far North, or because of its mild climate The Winterless North. Geography On the mainland the region extends from the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour in the north across the southern stretches of the North Auckland Peninsula History According to local Māori traditions, the Bay of Plenty was the landing point of several migration canoes that brought Māori settlers to New Zealand For other uses of Gisborne see Gisborne (disambiguation. Gisborne (Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa is the name of a unitary authority in New Zealand Geography The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island. Governance The official Wellington Region as administered by the Wellington Regional Council (under the brand-name "Greater Wellington" covers the conurbation around the History Early settlement Settlement of Nelson began about 1100 years ago by Māori Geography Marlborough's geography can be roughly divided into four sections The New Zealand region of Canterbury (Waitaha is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains latitude 45º south the Central Otago Wine Region is the most southerly Wine producing region in the world

Contents 1 History 1.1 First steps 1.2 Sauvignon Blanc breakthrough 2 Climate and soil 3 Industry structure and production methods 4 Varieties, styles and directions 4.1 Red blends and Bordeaux varieties 4.2 Pinot Noir 4.3 White 4.4 Sparkling wine 5 Wine regions of New Zealand 5.1 Wairarapa 5.2 Martinborough 5.3 Wairau Valley, Marlborough 6 Trends in production and export 7 Praise and criticism 7.1 Wine competition controversy 8 Statistics 8.1 New Zealand wine production 8.2 New Zealand wine production by grape variety (hectares) 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

History

Wine making and vine growing go back to colonial times in New Zealand. Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of Wine, starting with selection of the Grapes and ending with bottling the finished wine A vine is any plant of Genus Vitis (the Grape plants or by extension any similar climbing or trailing plant British Resident and keen oenologist James Busby was, as early as 1836, attempting to produce wine at his land in Waitangi. A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a state official of certain representative -diplomatic and/or colonial- types required to take up permanent residency abroad officially James Busby ( 7 February 1801 - 15 July 1871) was involved in the drafting of the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand ^[1] In 1851 New Zealand's oldest existing vineyard was established by the Roman Catholic church on land in Hawke's Bay. Due to economic (the importance of the protein export industry), legislative (prohibition and temperance) and cultural factors (overwhelming predominance of beer and spirit drinking British immigration), wine was a marginal activity. Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, also known as Noble Experiment, refers to a Sumptuary law which prohibits Alcohol See also Prohibition, Teetotalism The Temperance Movement attempted to reduce the amount of Alcohol consumed within a community or society in Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath Dalmatian immigrants at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century brought with them viticultural knowledge and set up the nascent NZ wine industry in West and North Auckland. Dalmatia ( Croatian: Dalmacija, see names in other languages) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, situated mostly in modern Viticulture (from the Latin word for Vine) is the Science, production and study of Grapes which deals with the series of Typically their vineyards produced sherry and port for the palates of New Zealanders of the time, and table wine for their own community. A vineyard is a Plantation of Grape -bearing Vines grown mainly for Winemaking, but also Raisins Table grapes and non-alcoholic Sherry is a Fortified wine, made in and around the town of Jerez, Spain. ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo In the United States table wine is used as a legal definition to differentiate standard Wine from stronger (higher alcohol content Fortified wine or

The three factors that held back the development of the industry simultaneously underwent subtle but historic changes in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1973 Britain entered the European Economic Community, which required the ending of historic trade terms for New Zealand meat and dairy products. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 This led ultimately to a dramatic restructuring of the agricultural economy. Before this restructuring was fully implemented, diversification away from traditional protein products to products with potentially higher economic returns was explored. Vines, which produce best in low moisture and low soil fertility environments, were seen as suitable for areas that had previously been marginal pasture. Pasture is land with Herbaceous vegetation cover used for grazing of Ungulate Livestock as part of a Farm or Ranch. The end of the 1960s saw the end of the New Zealand institution of the "six o'clock swill", where pubs were open for only an hour after the end of the working day and closed all Sunday. The Six o'clock swill was the last-minute rush to buy drinks at a Hotel bar before it closed The same legislative reform saw the introduction of BYO (bring your own) licences for restaurants. BYO ( Bring your own) is a term used at Restaurants to show that customers can bring their own Drinks (usually Alcoholic beverages as opposed This had a profound and unexpected effect on New Zealanders' cultural approach to wine.

Finally the late 1960s and early 1970s noted the rise of the OE (Overseas Experience), where young New Zealanders travelled and lived and worked overseas, predominantly in Europe. The OE as a cultural phenomenon goes back before this time, but by the 1960s a distinctly Kiwi (New Zealand) identity had developed and the passenger jet made the OE experience possible for a large numbers of New Zealanders who experienced first-hand the decidedly different wine-drinking cultures of Europe. Kiwi is the nickname used internationally for people from New Zealand, as well as being a relatively common self-reference A jet airliner, sometimes contracted to jetliner, is a passenger Airplane (passenger Aeroplane) that is powered by Jet engines.

First steps

In the 1970s, Montana in Marlborough started producing wines which were labelled by year of production (vintage) and grape variety (in the style of wine producers in Australia). Montana Wines is New Zealand 's largest wine company owning vineyards in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, and Waipara. Vintage, in Wine -making is the process of picking Grapes and creating the finished product The first production of a Sauvignon Blanc of great note appears to have occurred in 1977. Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned Grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Also produced in that year were superior quality wines of Muller Thurgau, Riesling and Pinotage.

The excitement created from these successes and from the early results of Cabernet Sauvignon from Auckland and Hawkes Bay launched the industry with ever increasing investment, leading to more hectares planted, rising land prices and greater local interest and pride. Such was the boom that over-planting occurred, particularly in the "wrong" varietals that fell out of fashion in the early 1980s. In 1984 the then Labour Government paid growers to pull up vines to address a glut that was damaging the industry. Ironically many growers used the Government grant not to restrict planting, but to swap from less economic varieties (such as Müller Thurgau and other hybrids) to more fashionable varieties (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc), using the old root stock. Chardonnay is a green-skinned Grape variety used to make white Wine. The glut was only temporary in any case, as boom times returned swiftly.

Sauvignon Blanc breakthrough

New Zealand is home to what many wine critics consider the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned Grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Oz Clarke, a well known British wine critic wrote in the 1990s that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was "arguably the best in the world" (Rachman). Oz Clarke (1949 -) is a British Wine writer and broadcaster Biography Oz Clarke was educated at a famous independent school The King's School Canterbury Historically, Sauvignon Blanc has been used in many French regions in both AOC and Vin de Pays wine. Appellation d’origine contrôlée ( AOC) which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French Vin de pays is a French term meaning "country wine" Vins de pays are a step in the French wine classification which is above the table wine ( Vin de table The most famous had been France’s Sancerre. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Sancerre is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC for Wine produced in the environs of Sancerre in the eastern part of the Loire valley It is also the grape used to make Pouilly Fumé. Pouilly-Fumé is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC for dry white Wine from the Loire Valley wine -producing region of France

Following Robert Mondavi's lead in renaming Californian Sauvignon Blanc Fumé Blanc (partially in reference to Pouilly Fumé and partially to denote the smokiness of the wine produced due to its aging in oak) there was a trend for oaked Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand during the late 1980s. Robert Gerald Mondavi ( June 18, 1913 – May 16, 2008) was a leading American Vineyard operator whose technical improvements Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned Grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Later the fashion for strong oaky overtones and also the name waned.

In the 1980s, wineries in New Zealand, especially in the Marlborough region, began producing outstanding, some critics said unforgettable, Sauvignon Blanc. Geography Marlborough's geography can be roughly divided into four sections "New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is like a child who inherits the best of both parents—exotic aromas found in certain Sauvignon Blancs from the New World and the pungency and limy acidity of an Old World Sauvignon Blanc like Sancerre from the Loire Valley" (Oldman, p. The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans Asians and Africans in the 15th century Loire Valley (Vallée de la Loire is known as the Garden of France and the Cradle of the French Language. 152). One critic said that drinking one's first New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was like having sex for the first time (Taber, p. An organism's sex is defined by the gametes it produces males produce male gametes (spermatozoa or Sperm) while females produce female gametes (ova or Egg cells; individual 244). "No other region in the world can match Marlborough, the northeastern corner of New Zealand's South Island, which seems to be the best place in the world to grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes" (Taber, p. 244).

Climate and soil

The wine regions in New Zealand stretch from latitudes 36°S in the north (Northland), to 45°S (Central Otago) in the south. Geography Northland is located in what is often referred to by New Zealanders as the Far North, or because of its mild climate The Winterless North. latitude 45º south the Central Otago Wine Region is the most southerly Wine producing region in the world

Wine regions are mostly located in free draining alluvial valleys (Hawke's Bay, Martinborough, Nelson, the Wairau and Awatere valleys of Marlborough, and Canterbury) with notable exceptions (Waiheke Island, Kawarau Gorge in Central Otago). Geography The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island. Martinborough is a town in South Wairarapa, a district in the Wellington region on the North Island of New Zealand. History Early settlement Settlement of Nelson began about 1100 years ago by Māori The Wairau River is one of the longer rivers in New Zealand 's South Island. The Awatere River is a large river flowing through Marlborough New Zealand. Geography Marlborough's geography can be roughly divided into four sections The New Zealand region of Canterbury (Waitaha is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains Waiheke Island is in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand and is located about 17 Kawarau River drains Lake Wakatipu, in northwestern Otago, New Zealand. latitude 45º south the Central Otago Wine Region is the most southerly Wine producing region in the world The alluvial deposits are typically the local sandstone called greywacke, which makes up much of the mountainous spine of New Zealand. Sometimes the alluvial nature of the soil is important, as in Hawke's Bay where the deposits known as the Gimblett Gravels represent such quality characteristics that they are often mentioned on the wine label.

Another soil type is represented in Waipara, Canterbury. Waipara is a small town in north Canterbury New Zealand, on the banks of the Waipara River. Here there are the Omihi Hills which are part of the Torlesse group of limestone deposits. Viticulturalists have planted Pinot Noir here due to French experience of the affinity between the grape type and the chalky soil on the Côte d'Or. Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera.

The climate in New Zealand is maritime, meaning that the sea moderates the weather producing cooler summers and milder winters than would be expected at similar latitudes in Europe and North America. Maritime climates tend also to demonstrate higher variability with cold snaps possible at any time of the year and warm periods even in the depth of winter. The climate is typically wetter, but wine regions have developed in rain shadows and in the east, on the opposite coast from the prevailing moisture-laden wind. The wine regions of New Zealand tend to experience cool nights even in the hottest of summers. The effect of consistently cool nights is to produce fruit which is nearly always high in acidity.

Industry structure and production methods

There are a diversity of methods of production of New Zealand wine. The traditional concept of a vineyard, whereby grapes are grown on the land surrounding a central simply-owned or family-owned estate with its own discrete viticultural and wine making equipment and storage is only one model. While the European cooperative model (where district or AOC village wine-making takes place in a centralised production facility) is uncommon, contract growing of fruit for wine-makers has been a feature of the NZ industry since the start of the wine making boom in the 1970s.

Indeed a number of well known quality wine producers started out as contract growers. Alternately, many fledgling producers started out using solely contract fruit as their own vines matured into production. Some producers use contract fruit to supplement the range of varieties they market, even using fruit from other geographical regions. It is common to see, for example, an Auckland producer market a "Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc", or a Marlborough producer market a "Gisborne Chardonnay".

Contract growing is an example of the use of indigenous agri-industrial methods that pre-date the NZ wine industry. Another example of the adaptation of NZ methods toward the new industry was the universal use of stainless steel in wine making adapted from the norms and standards of the New Zealand dairy industry. There was an existing small scale industrial infrastructure ready for wine makers to economically employ. It should be remembered that while current wine making technology is almost universally sterile and hygenic world-wide, the natural antibiotic properties of alcohol production were more heavily relied upon in the 1970s when the NZ wine industry started.

This pervasive use of stainless steel almost certainly had a distinctive effect on both New Zealand wines styles and the domestic palate. The early wines which made a stir internationally were lauded for the intenstiy and purity of the fruit in the wine. Indeed the strength of flavour in the wine favoured bone dry styles despite intense acidity. While stainless steel did not produce the intensity of fruit, it allowed for its exploitation. Even today, NZ white wine tends toward drier end of the spectrum.

Varieties, styles and directions

Red blends and Bordeaux varieties

New Zealand Reds are typically made from either a blend of varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and much less often Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec), or Pinot Noir. Varietal describes Wines made primarily from a single named Grape variety. Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red Wine grape varieties. Merlot ('MERL-oh' in British English mer-LOH in American English and standard French is a red Wine Grape that is used as both a blending grape and for Cabernet Franc is one of the major varieties of red Wine Grape in Bordeaux Petit verdot is a variety of red Wine Grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends Malbec is a variety of Grape used in making Red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark colour and robust Tannins Long known as one of the Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Recently, in Hawkes Bay there have been wines made from Syrah, either solely or blends, and even Tempranillo, Montepulciano and Sangiovese. Geography The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island. Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used in Wine. Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful Red wines which enjoy Tempranillo is a variety of black Grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines Its name is the Diminutive of the Spanish temprano ("early" Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a type of wine grape as well as a type of red Wine made from these same grapes in the Abruzzo region of east-central Italy Sangiovese is a Red wine Grape variety originating in Italy whose name derives from sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove "

Early success in the 1980s in the North Island lead to red wine planting and production concentrating on Cabernet Sauvignon by Corbans, McWilliams and Mission Estate among others. Very often it was found that vegetal characteristics predominated as Cabernet Sauvignon struggled to ripen in New Zealand conditions. Mediocre wines were often accused of being "stalky". As viticulture improved with experience of New Zealand's "cool climate" conditions and more Merlot and other blending wines were employed, this fault was increasingly eliminated. This trend continues and can be seen in the NZ Wine Institute statistics where hectares planted of Cabernet Sauvignon declined in the period 2003 to 2005, from 741 to 678, while Merlot increased from 1,249 to 1,592.

Typically "bordeaux blends" come from regions and sub-regions that are relatively hot and dry for New Zealand, such as Waiheke Island and Hawke's Bay. Waiheke Island is in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand and is located about 17 Geography The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island. Wines that have made a name for Waiheke Island include Stonyridge Larose and Goldwater Estate. Wines that typify the best of Hawkes Bay include Te Mata Estate's Coleraine and Awatea, Esk Valley's The Terraces and Villa Maria's Reserve Merlot/Cabernets. In Marlborough there are a number of producers of bordeaux varietal wines.

However, examples of bordeaux blends can be found as far south as Waipara, in Canterbury where Pegasus Bay's Maestro has demonstrated the recent decade's drift away from Cabernet Sauvignon predominant blends to Merlot predominant with the addition of Malbec. Waipara is a small town in north Canterbury New Zealand, on the banks of the Waipara River.

In general New Zealand red wine tends to be forward and early maturing, fruit-driven and with restrained oak. No definitive regional characteristics have developed in New Zealand, the principal differences between wines being determined by the vintage, vineyard and wine-maker's philosophy. However, some preliminary trends are worth commenting on. Central Otago particularly Bannockburn pinot noir can have distinct earthy, mineral and wild thyme notes. Hawkes Bay bordeaux blends have greater body than other New Zealand reds. Marlbourough Pinot Noirs are notable for their ripeness and fruitiness.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is a grape variety whose importance in New Zealand is greater than the weight of planting. Early in the modern wine industry (late 1970s early 1980s), the comparatively low annual sunshine hours to be found in NZ discouraged the planting of red varieties. But even at this time great hopes were had for Pinot Noir (see Romeo Bragato). Romeo Alessandro Bragato (1858 - 1913 played a significant role in the early development of the wine industry in New Zealand. Initial results were not promising for several reasons, including the mistaken planting of Gamay and the limited number of Pinot Noir clones available for planting. One notable exception was the St Helena 1984 Pinot Noir from the Canterbury region. This led to the belief for a time that Canterbury might become the natural home for Pinot Noir in New Zealand. While the early excitement passed, the Canterbury region has witnessed the development of Pinot Noir as the dominant red variety. The sub-region Waipara has some interesting wines. Producers include Pegasus Bay, Waipara Springs and Omihi Hills.

The next region to excel with Pinot Noir was Martinborough on the southern end of the North Island. Several vineyards including Palliser Estate, Martinborough Vineyards, Murdoch James Estate and Ata Rangi consistently produced interesting and increasingly complex wine from Pinot Noir at the end of the 1980s and into the 1990s.

At around this time the first plantings of Pinot Noir in Central Otago occurred in the Kawarau Gorge. Central Otago had a long (for New Zealand) history as a producer of quality stone fruit and particularly cherries. Significantly further south than all other wine regions in New Zealand, it had been overlooked despite a long history of grape growing. However, it benefited from being surrounded by mountain ranges which increased its temperature variations both between seasons and between night and day making the climate unusual in the typically maritime conditions in New Zealand. In recent years Pinot Noir from Central Otago has won numerous international awards and accolations making it one of New Zealand's most sought-after varieties.

The first vines were planted using holes blasted out of the north facing schist slopes of the region, creating difficult, highly marginal conditions. The first results coming in the mid to late 1990s excited the interest of British wine commentators, including Jancis Robinson and Oz Clarke. Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW (born in Cumbria on April 22 1950) is a British Wine Critic, journalist Not only did the wines have the distinctive acidity and abundant fruit of New Zealand wines, but they demonstrated a great deal of complexity, with aromas and flavours not common in New Zealand wine and normally associated with burgundian wine. Producers include Felton Rd, Chard Farm and Mt Difficulty.

The latest sub-region appears to be Waitaki, on the border between Otago and Canterbury.

In a recent blind tasting of New Zealand Pinot Noir featured in Cuisine magazine (issue 119), Michael Cooper reported that of the top ten wines, five came from Central Otago, four from Marlborough and one from Waipara. This compares with all top ten wines coming from Marlborough in an equivalent blind tasting from last year. Cooper suggests that this has to do with more Central Otago production becoming available in commercial quantities, than the relative qualities of the regions' Pinot Noir.

As is the case for other New Zealand wine, New Zealand Pinot Noir is fruit-driven, forward and early maturing in the bottle. It tends to be quite full bodied (for the variety), very approachable and oak maturation tends to be restrained. High quality examples of New Zealand Pinot Noir are distinguished by savoury, earthy flavours with a greater complexity.

White

In white wines Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc predominate in plantings and production. Typically Chardonnay planting predominate more the further north one goes, however it is planted and produced in Central Otago. There is no discernible difference in styles for Chardonnay between the New Zealand wine regions so far. Individual wine makers and the particular qualities of a vintage are more likely to determine factors such as malolactic fermentation or the use of oak for aging.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been described by some as "alive with flavors of cut grass and fresh fruits", and others as "cat's pee on a gooseberry bush" (but not necessarily as a criticism).

Other white varietals commonly include (in no particular order) Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris, and less commonly Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Müller-Thurgau and Viognier. Riesling is a white Grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Gewürztraminer (ɡəˈvʏrtstraˈminɚ guh-VURTS-trah-MEE-ner in English is an aromatic Wine Grape variety that performs best in cooler climates Chenin blanc, or Pineau de la Loire, is a variety of white Wine Grape from the Loire valley of France Pinot blanc is a white Wine Grape. It is a Genetic mutation of Pinot gris, which is itself a mutation of Pinot noir. Müller-Thurgau is a variety of white Grape (sp Vitis vinifera) which was created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton Viognier (vee-ohn-yay is a white Wine Grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley

Riesling is produced predominantly in Martinborough and south. The same may be said with less forcefulness about Gewürztraminer (which is also planted extensively in Gisborne). Pinot Gris is being planted increasingly, especially in Martinborough and the South Island. Chenin Blanc was once more important, but the viticultural peculiarities of the variety, particularly its unpredictable cropping in New Zealand, have led to its disfavour. Milton Estate in Gisborne produces an example of this variety.

The market success of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and lately Pinot Noir mean that these varietals will dominate future planting.

Sparkling wine

Excellent quality Methode Traditionelle sparkling wine is produced in New Zealand. Typically, it was Marlborough that was the commercial birthplace of New Zealand Methode Traditionelle sparkling wine. Marlborough still produces a number of high quality sparkling wines, and has attracted both investment from Champagne producers (Deutz) and also champanois wine-makers (Daniel Le Brun). Other sparkling wines from Marlborough include Pelorous (from Cloudy Bay), and the now venerable Montana/Pernod Ricard brand, Lindauer.

Wine regions of New Zealand

Wairarapa

The Wellington/Wairarapa wine-growing region is one of New Zealand's smallest, with several sub-regions, which include Gladstone, Martinborough, Masterton and Opaki. Martinborough was the original area planted, on the basis of careful scientific study, in the 1970's, which identified it's soils and climate as perfecttly suited to the ciultivation of Pinot Noir. As a consequence, many of the vineyards established there are older then their counter-parts in the rest of the Wairarapa. Subtle differences are seen in the wines from the South Wairarapa (which includes Martinborough), which has more maritime influences, to those grown further north.

Martinborough

Martinborough is a small wine village located at the foot of New Zealand’s North Island, in the South Wairarapa, just 1. 5 hours drive from Wellington, the capital city. The combination of topography, geology, climate and human effort has led to the region becoming one of New Zealand's premier wine regions in spite of it's small size. Less than 2% of the country's wine production is grown in Martinborough, yet in shows and competitions, it rates much more highly. The local Winegrowers organisation states: "Officially New Zealand's sixth largest region, Wellington/Wairarapa is small in production terms but makes a large contribution to the country's quality winemaking reputation. "^[2].

The vineyards are shielded from the elements by steep mountains, while the growing season from flowering to harvest is amongst the longest in New Zealand. Naturally breezy conditions control vine vigour, creating lower yields of grapes with greater intensity. A genuine cool climate, with a long, dry autumn in NZ, provides an ideal ripening conditions for Pinot Noir and other varietals, such as Riesling, Syrah and Pinot Gris. A small number of wineries are producing Cabernet Franc of a high standard. Most of the wineries are located on the area's alluvial river terraces near the township (the Te Muna, Huangarau and Dry River Regions).

Martinborough wineries are relatively small and typically family-owned, with the focus on producing quality rather than quantity. Relatively small yields enable Martinborough winemakers to devote themselves to handcrafting superior wines. Among the many long-established wineries, several, including Te Kairanga, Ata Rangi, Palliser Estate, Murdoch James Estate and Dry River, have become internationally recognised as premium producers of Pinot Noir.

Key production figures:

1. The total Wellington/Wairarapa producing area is 758ha.
2. The Wairarapa currently has 54 wineries, more than twice the 24 in the region in 1995.
3. Predominant varieties for the 2006 vintage were: Pinot Noir (38%); Sauvignon Blanc (35%); Chardonnay (11%); Riesling (0. 08%); Pinot Gris (0. 03%). & the Cabernets (incl. Cab sauvignon & franc (0. 012%); and the remaining 16% includes Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, and Gewurztraminer.
4. In 2007, the producing area in Wellington/Wairarapa represented just two percent of the total New Zealand wine producing area.

Wairau Valley, Marlborough

In many respects, the Wairau Valley and the districts surrounding Blenheim are the home of the modern New Zealand wine industry. It is the largest wine district in terms of production and area under vines. It has a number of sub-regions including Waihopai valley, Renwick and the Spring Creek area.

Trends in production and export

The initial focus for the industry's export efforts was the United Kingdom. The late 1970s and early 1980s were not only pioneering times for production but also marketing and as with many New Zealand products, wine was only really taken seriously at home when it was noticed and praised overseas and in particular by British wine commentators and critics. For much of the history of New Zealand wine exportation the United Kingdom market, with its lack of indigenous production, great thirst and sophisticated wine pallet has been either the principal or only market. In the last decade the British market's overwhelming importance has eroded; while still the single largest export market, it now (2006) makes up only one third of total exports by value, only slightly larger than the American and Australian markets. ^[3] Japan is a particularly strong importer of high-end New Zealand wines: in 2006, it spent NZ$14. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. 44 per liter of wine imported, compared to New Zealand's average price of NZ$8. 87/L. ^[4]

New Zealand's wine industry has become highly successful in the international market. To meet the increasing demand for its wines, the country's vineyard plantings have more than tripled in the ten years ending in 2005. Sales continue to increase. For example, "From 2004 to 2005, exports to the United States skyrocketed 81 percent to 1. 45 million cases, more than two-thirds of which was Sauvignon Blanc, still the country's undisputed flagship wine. "

Praise and criticism

One critic described drinking Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc to "hearing Glenn Gould playing Bach’s Goldberg Variations". Cloudy Bay is located at the northeast of New Zealand 's South Island, to the south of the Marlborough Sounds. Glenn Herbert Gould At a young age he reportedly behaved differently from typical children at the piano he would strike single notes and listen to their long decay WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 are a set of 30 variations for Harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach. Cloudy Bay Vineyards set a new standard for New World Sauvignon Blanc and was arguably responsible for the huge increase in interest in such wines, particularly in the United Kingdom. Cloudy Bay Vineyards is a winery in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Veuve Clicquot, the French Champagne producer, now owns a controlling interest in Cloudy Bay. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is both a Champagne house in Reims, France, and a brand of premium Champagne.

In 2006 Grove Mill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc won three trophies at the International Wine Challenge in London, the most prestigious award was for the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Grove Mill is a wine producer in Marlborough, New Zealand. It became the world's first Carbon neutral winery in 2006 Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned Grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Continued acclaim for the wines of Marlborough will add to the ground work of such companies as Cloudy Bay Vineyards, Saint Clair Estate Winery and Montana. Marlborough ( IPA /ˈmɔːlbrə/ " Maul bruh" is a market town in the English county of Wiltshire on the Old Bath Road Cloudy Bay Vineyards is a winery in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern

Following on from the early success of Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand has been building a strong reputation with other cultivars; Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Syrah are just three examples.

The opinions of expert commentators vary. For example, renowned wine critic Robert Parker in his Wines of the World, while noting the success of New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc and the enormous amount of interest in New Zealand's wine, only devotes a couple of pages in a very large two volume book to New Zealand. Robert Parker may refer to Robert Parker Baron Parker of Waddington (1857&ndash1918 British law lord Robert Parker (singer (born Parker disparages most New Zealand red wine as 'atrociously vegetal', saying that it is 'unbelievable' that anyone could find something to praise in those offerings. He does, however, make more complimentary remarks about New Zealand Pinot Noir.

By comparison, Jancis Robinson observes, when commenting on NZ Pinot Noir that, while "comparisons with Burgundy are inevitable, New Zealand Pinot Noir is rapidly developing its own distinctive style, often with deeper colour, purer fruit and higher alcohol. While regional differences are apparent, the best wines do have Burgundy’s elusive complexity, texture and “pinosity” and are capable of ageing". She goes on to say "It is a testament to the skill and craft of New Zealand producers that poor examples are infrequently encountered".

Wine competition controversy

In late 2006, questions emerged about the integrity of New Zealand wine competition following the accusations of cheating by Marlborough based winery Wither Hills in the October Cuisine Magazine annual wine competition. Wither Hills was accused of submitting a smaller batch production under the same label of a different wine that was available for public purchase. During the competition the Wither Hills 2006 Marlborough Sauvignon blanc won a perfect five star rating but when compared to a supermarket purchased bottle of the same label was found to be a different wine with varying degrees of alcohol and sugar content. Winemaker Brent Marris claimed the discrepancy came from two separate bottling runs and that the wine sometime commonly changes from when it is bottled in July and a second batch is later bottled in December. The wine submitted for the wine competition was a limited first run bottling. An external audit by the New Zealand Winegrowers Association found no irregularities in Wither Hills accounting of their production and no evidence that Wither Hills deliberating submitted a different quality wine to wine competitions. In the previous decade, two other wineries were found guilty of this offence Lintz Estate and Coopers Creek and stripped of their wine competition awards. ^[5]

In response to the controversy, the New Zealand Wine industry looked into the problem of having different wines potentially being sold under the same label. A criticism of Wither Hills was the lack of labeling their wine submitted for wine competition as a first release wine which would have distinguished it from the different wine that was available in the supermarkets. Many New Zealand wineries do make it a practice of labeling smaller or first run batches with a different label then its larger runs and these are typically the wines that are submitted for wine competitions. This presented another question for the wine industry in judging the value of wine competitions when the sizable number of these wines will not be available for the public. This opened up the competitions to criticisms of being "gold-medal or high-score hunt(s)". A possible solution that has been proposed is for wine competitions to purchase entrant wines from a supermarket or public seller instead of having the wineries supply the wines directly. ^[6]

Statistics

New Zealand wine production

Year	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Productive vine area (hectares)	6,110	6,610	7,410	7,580	9,000	10,197	11,648	13,787	15,800	18,112	21,002	22,616	24,660
Total Production (millions of litres)	56. 4	57. 3	45. 8	60. 6	60. 2	60. 2	53. 3	89. 0	55. 0	119. 2	102. 2	133. 2

New Zealand wine production by grape variety (hectares)

Year	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Sauvignon Blanc	4,516	5,897	7,043	8,860
Chardonnay	3,515	3,617	3,731	3,779
Pinot Noir	2,624	3,239	3,623	4,063
Merlot	1,249	1,487	1,492	1,420
Riesling	653	666	806	853
Cabernet Sauvignon	741	687	678	531

Source of statistics: New Zealand Winegrowers Statistical Annual 2007

See also

• Wine
• Globalization of wine
• Wine Institute of New Zealand
• Romeo Bragato
• Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry Journal

References

Footnotes

External links

• New Zealand Wine

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