New Zealand Flashcards
Geography
36-46 degrees S latitude
High sunshine hours
North and South Islands, separated by Cook Strait
Climate
Moderating factors: Pacific Ocean, large diurnal range, long sunshine hours, high UV levels
Southern Alps create rainshadow for east of South Island
Cool on the South Island, Moderate on North Island
Maritime (except Central Otago)
Canopy Management
Sufficient rainfall, high sunshine hours, fertile soils –> high vigour, too much shading
VSP with two cames
Large trellising systems like Scott Henry for high volume producers, but can be hard to ripen
Vines trained high as don’t need sunshine reflected from ground.
Yields
High yields, 70 hL/ha normal
Machine harvest
Hazards
Fungal disease from humidity/high rainfall
Birds
Irrigation needed bc of free draining soils & high evotranspiration
Tropical cyclones disrupt flowering & fruit set
Classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Methods
Vineyard:
- high light level, sufficient water, canopy management
- high diurnal range
- sunny side of canopy for tropical flavours, shaded side for herbaceous
- slightly early picking for herbaceousness
- mechanical picking, some skin contact from berries crushed in transit
Winery:
- Reduction of O2 contact
- Low fermentation, neutral vessel, cultured yeast, no MLF or oak, minimal lees, ascorbic acid and SO2 to preserve freshness after bottling
Red wines
Mid range fermentation temps, cultured yeasts, neutral vessels for high volume
Premium: cold maceration commonplace
Sweet wines
Noble rot for Semillon
Long hang times in vineyards
Greater Auckland
North Island
3 sub regions: Waiheke Island, West Auckland, Matakana
moderate maritime climate, high humidity
Greater Auckland, Waiheke Island
red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah
warmer than most of Auckland
low diurnal range
Medium to full body, black fruit with oak
Greater Auckland, West Auckland
Expensive, so vineyard land is decreasing
Gisborne
North Island, eastern tip
Vines on flat, fertile plain of clay, loam, and silt
Chardonnay 50% of plantings, Pinot Gris, SB, Gewurz, Viognier. Some Merlot, not much.
moderate maritime, high sunshine, warming breezes, not much frost risk, earliest harvesting region
1000mm rainfall, less irrigation but vigour an issue and rainfall can fall at harvest
Hawke’s Bay
Moderate Maritime, similar to bdx.
1000mm rainfall
Gravel, alluvial soils similar to Medoc
Merlot-dominant bdx blends
Syrah: 75% of NZ’s Syrah plantings
Chardinnay
Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa
Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa
Sub-regions of Hawke’s Bay
Inland, warm but frost risk
Alluvial terraces with gravelly soils,
Gimblett Gravels: stony topsoil helps ripen Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet
Bridge Pa: deeper topsoil of sandy and clay loam which helps with water retention.
Hawke’s Bay Syrah
Ripe blackberry, black pepper, floral, medium to medium (+) body, medium (+) acidity
Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay
range of styles
Struck match character
Medium to full, medium acidity
Wairapa
Most southerly region of North Island, mostly premium wines
Sub regions: Masterton, Gladstone, Martinborough
Cool Maritime with large diurnal range and winds from Cook Strait
Thicker skinned Pinot Noir and low yield SB
Wairapa Pinot Noir
Medium (+) acidity, red and black fruit, spice, concentrated, medium to medium (+) tannin
Abel clone from DRC, flowers late and misses bad weather periods
Dijon 667 and 777 clones
Wairapa Sauvignon Blanc
More restrained than Marlborough with high acidity
Marlborough
South Island, cool with warm summers and mild winters, protected from rain by mountains.
650mm
2410 shunshine hours
Free-draining alluvial soils
Machine harvest common (promotes passionfruit and bell pepper)
vineyards between Wairau Valley and Awatere Valley
Wairau Valley
Western edge of Marlborough along Wairau River to mouth of Cloudy Bay
Inland is more continental, frost risk
Valley is a former riverbed with gravel, silt, sand, loam, clay soils
SB most planted, PN, Chard, PG
Southern Valleys
north-south running valleys in Marlborough, south of Wairau plain
Vineyards on hillsides, with more clay to retain water and cool
Pinot Noir - long enough season for aromatics, flavour, tannin
Awatere Valley
south of Wairau, cooler and windier as it is closer to coast and higher elevation
Later harvest
SB more herbaceous, high acidity
Windy weather leads to smaller berries with thick skin for Pinot Noir
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Dry, high acidity, intensely aromatic: floral, tropical fruit, herbaceous, passionfruit
Marlborough Pinot Noir
10% all plantings, 3 styles:
light, juicy, red fruit for early drinking from alluvial plains of Wairau
Intense fruit, red cherry, plum, medium to full bodied, aged in oak, from clay and loess slopes of Southern Valleys
Thick skinned, deeper coloured, floral and herbal and red fruit from windy Awatere Valley
Marlborough Chardonnay
medium with simple stone fruit and citrus, but some premium examples
Marlborough Pinot Gris
light, youthful, fresh or full bodied, riper fruit and barrel maturation
Nelson
Northwest corner of South Island
not as protected as Marlborough from wind and raim, 970mm in heavy storms –> still high sunshine hours
cool maritime climate, cooling sea breezes and warm nights
Sub regions: Moutere Hill and Waimea Plains
SB: restrained
Pinot Noir: fresh and fruity from Waimea and fuller from Moutere
Moutere Hills
Sub region of Nelson
Clay-based gravel soils with sandy loam topsoil, gentle slopes, water-retaining
50-150m
Fuller bodied and riper, more concentrated than Waimea Plains
High quality
Waimea Plains
Riverbed of alluvial soils with fine silt and clay loams, moderately fertile. Free-draining soil
Lighter in body
Canterbury
On flat, open plain facing Pacific.
Sub regions: North Canterbury & Canterbury Plains
North Canterbury
cool climate, sheltered by Southern Alps, high sunshine hours and warm summer temps
Cool nights, spring frosts, hot northwest winds (high evapotranspiration)
Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris in varying styles
Waipara Valley
In North Canterbury
warmer, protected by Teviotdale Hills
Flat valley floor on gravelley sandy loam -> lighter wines
Northwest slopes on clay loams and limestone are more intense
Waikari
In North Canterbury
Clay-limestone soils
Premium, critical acclaim for Pinot Noir
Central Otago
one of world’s most southerly wine regions.
Surrounded by Southern Alps, so is semi-continental, spring frosts - helicopters
360mm rainfall
Warm, dry, long daylight hours and high UV, need to shade on west side
300m altitude, high diurnal range
range of soils, gravel, clay, schist as parent rock. Low in organic matter so compost/cover crops
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling in varying styles
Six sub-regions: Alexandra, Gibbston, Bannockburn, Cromwell/Lowburn, Pisa, Bendigo, Wanaka
Alexandra
Central Otago Subregion
furthest south, but hottest, with cool nights and high diurnal range
Gibbston
Central Otago Subregion
highest and coolest, 320-420m on north facing slppes of Kawarau Gorge. Later ripening, fresh and high acidity
Bannockburn
Central Otago Subregion
lower altitude on the southern banks of Kawarau River
Warmest and driest part, ripe and concentrated wines
Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa
Central Otago Subregion
from Cromwell in south to west of Lake Dunstan. Semi-arid, fans, and terraces on the Pisa mountains.
Warm climate
Bendigo
Central Otago Subregion
warmest sub region, Syrah can grow on north facing slopes
Semi arid, poor stony, free draining soil and continental climate
Wanaka
Central Otago Subregion
smallest and most northerly
Between Lake Wanaka and town on Luggate
290-320m, cooler climate, lake moderates
Central Otago Pinot Noir
70% of plantings
good to outstanding, premium to super premium
high UV levels lead to deep colour and full bodied, but good acidity, ripe tannins, plum and cherry
Waitaki
North Otago
east of Southern Alps, northerly regions.
Remote, so not many vineyards
Limestone
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chard, Gewurz
Geographical Indications Act
2017
18 registered names (Marlborough, Martinborough, Hawke’s Bay for example)
Production
3 million hL per year
500% increase between 2000 and 2019
Domestic Sales
only 1/6th sales
Supermarket, hospitality, then specialist stores
85% use cellar door sales and digital sales
Exports
$1.8 billion NZD
USA, UK, Australia
Bulk shipping (1/3 exports)
