New Zealand Flashcards
In which hemisphere is New Zealand located?
Southern Hemisphere
where is new Zealand in relation to Australia?
New Zealand is ~ 1300 miles southeast of Australia
New Zealand has two islands:
The … Island and the … Island
- North Island
- South Island
Of all the winemaking countries in the world, new Zealand is the world’s
a. norhtermost
b. southernmost
c. only one at the Equator
b. southernmost
what are the bodies of water surrounding new Zealand?
to the east: pacific ocean
to the west: Tasman sea
what is the name of the body of water between Australia and New Zealand?
tasman sea
in what yearner the first vines planted in New Zealand?
1819
who was the first to make wine in New Zealand, and when?
James Busby in 1836
He was an important figure in new Zealand’s wine history
why didn’t new zealnd wine really take off until the 1990s?
several setbacks, including:
- phylloxera, early 20th century
- temperance movement, 1910-1919
- economic depression, 1929-1938
- wine not allowed for sale in restaurants until 1960
- wine not allowed for sale in supermarkets until 1990
mass planting in New Zealand took off in what decade?
1990s
what are the climates of the north island?
- northern part of the north island: warm - some areas being humid, some dry
- southern part of the north island: maritime
what are the climates of the south island
- northern part of the South Island: cool
- southern part of the South Island: continental
what are the effects of the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean on the wine growing regions of New Zealand?
- lessen temperature variation
- moderate the growing season
the south island sees so much sunshine, this temperature moderation helps the grapes retain acidity.
what are the 2 main white grapes of New Zealand?
- sauvignon blanc
2. chardonnay
what are the 4 main red grapes of New Zealand?
- pinot noir
- cabernet sauvignon
- syrah
- merlot
much like Australia, New Zealand’s winemakers are innovators and forward-thinking.
give 3 examples of their modern mindset
- viticulture (mechanical harvesting)
- winemaking is clean, modern, precise
- screw cap wine seal initiative 2001
more than … % of new Zealand’s wine production is finished with screw caps
85%
what appellation system does New Zealand employ as of February 2019?
Geographical Indication (GI)
what are the 3 biggest GIs of New Zealand?
- New Zealand GI
- North Island GI
- South Island GI
in New Zealand, if a bottle of wine has a stated grape what minimum percent of the wine must that grape be?
85%
in New Zealand, if a bottle of wine has a stated vintage on the label what minimum percent must the wine be from that vintage?
85%
in New Zealand, if a bottle of wine has a stated GI on the label what minimum percent of the wine com from that GI?
85%
what are the 4 regions to know on New Zealand’s North Island?
- auckland
- Wairarapa
- Gisborne
- Hawke’s Bay
run through Auckland’s:
- location
- climate
- grapes
- northern tip of north island
- warm + humid maritime
- cabernet sauvignon, merlot
run through Wairarapa’s:
- location
- grapes
- southernmost part of north island
- sauvignon blanc, pinot noir
what is the important subregion of Wairarapa?
What grape is it known for?
- martinborough
- pinot noir
run through Gisborne’s:
- climate
- grapes
- cool maritime
- chardonnay, pinot gris (white grapes!)
run through Hawke’s Bay’s:
- climate
- grapes
- moderate maritime
- chardonnay, sauvignon blanc
- merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah
which wine region on the north island has the driest climate?
Hawke’s bay
what is the important subregion of Hawke’s Bay?
Gimblett Gravels
what is important about the Gimblett gravels subregion?
- warmer inland area
- gravelly soils which aren’t found elsewhere in Hawke’s Bay
- has an excellent reputation for making premium reds: syrah and bordeaux-style red blends from cab Sauvignon + merlot
what is the name of the mountain range on New Zealand’s South Island?
the southern alps
what role do the Southern Alps play in the South Island’s wine regions?
they create a rain shadow, defending the wine regions from strong winds and bad weather coming off the Tasman Sea
what are the 3 regions to known on new Zealands South Island?
- Marlborough
- canterbury
- central otago
where is Marlborough located ?
northern tip of South Island
run through Marlborough’s :
- climate
- grapes
- long growing season: dry, cool yet very sunny
- sauvignon blanc, pinot noir
Marlborough accounts for more than … % of all of new Zealands total wine production
> 50%
sauvignon blanc accounts for … % of all vines planted in Marlborough
80%
thanks to the long, dry growing season of Marlborough and its cool nights, what does that mean for the grapes?
grapes retain naturally high acidity
irrigation in Marlborough is:
a. widely used
b. never used
a. widely used
it’s a dry climate, so irrigation is necessary
which region of the South Island is seeing the fastest growth?
canterbury
where is Canterbury located?
between Marlborough and central Otago on the east side of the South Island, facing the pacific
run through Canterbury’s:
- climate
- grapes
- cool continental
- sauvignon blanc, pinot noir
where is central Otago located?
southernmost wine region on the south island
run through Central Otago’s:
- climate
- grape
- cool continental, with low humidity
- pinot noir
what is unique about central Otago’s location (in regards to its parallel)?
some vineyard are planted below the 45th parallel, making them some of the world’s most southern-planted grapes
New Zealand’s wine region highest in altitude is:
central otago
why are most of central Otago’s vineyard planted facing north (facing the Equator)?
to maximize sun exposure
central Otago’s climate is almost like an alpine climate. What factors does that include?
- intensely sunny but cool
- high elevation
- dry growing season
