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Master Sommelier Theory 2025 > New Zealand > Flashcards

New Zealand Flashcards

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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) flashcards
1
Q

List the main GIs North Island New Zealand from North to South

A

Northland
Auckland
Gisbourne
Hawke’s Bay
Wairarapa

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2
Q

Auckland GI

Subregions
Grapes
Soil
Producers

A

North Island, NZ

Subregions: Kumeu GI, Matakana GI, Waiheke Island GI, South Auckland, West Auckland, Clevedon, Huapai, Henderson

Chardonnay: 71 ha
Merlot: 68 ha
Syrah: 47 ha
Pinot Gris: 34 ha

volcanic soils, layered sandstone and mudstone, heavy clays
2060 sunlight hours
Major Natural Features: Pacific Ocean, Waitakere Ranges

Major Producers: Kumeu River, Matua Valley, Babich, Cable Bay, Stonyridge, Pernod Ricard NZ, Villa Maria

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3
Q

Gisbourne GI
Subregions
Grapes
Soil

A

North Island, NZ- sunny and dry

Subregions: Hexton Hills (Golden Slope), Ormond, Ormond Valley, Manutuke, Central Valley, Riverpoint, Patutahi, Patutahi Plateau, Waipaoa

Chardonnay: 582 ha
Pinot Gris: 288 ha
Sauvignon Blanc: 250 ha
Merlot: 24 ha
Gewürztraminer: 19 ha

Soil Types: fine alluvial silt near the Waipaoa River, heavier clay loam in the plains
Annual Rainfall: 20.6 inches
Annual Average Sunlight Hours: 2,180 hours
Major Natural Features: Waipaoa River, Poverty Bay, Raukumara Range

Major Producers: Millton, Brunton Road

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4
Q

Hawke’s Bay GI

A

North Island, New Zealand- sunny and dry

Subregions: Central Hawke’s Bay GI, Te Awanga, Northern Esk Valley, Mohaka, Esk River Valley, Tutaekuri River Valley, Ngaruroro River Valley, Korokipo, Bridge Pa, Gimblett Gravels, Ohiti, Havelock North

Total Hectares Under Vine: 4,786 ha
Chardonnay: 1,060 ha
Sauvignon Blanc: 1,011 ha
Merlot: 975 ha
Pinot Gris: 676 ha
Syrah: 343 ha
Pinot Noir: 223 ha
Cabernet Sauvignon: 183 ha

Annual Rainfall: 15.3 inches
Annual Average Sunlight Hours: 2,188 hours
Major Natural Features: Heretaunga Plains, Hawke Bay, Ngaruroro River, Tukituki River
Major Producers: Craggy Range, Esk Valley Estate, Sacred Hill, Sileni, Te Mata, Trinity Hill

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5
Q

Wairarapa GI

A

North Island, NZ

Subregions: Martinborough GI, Gladstone GI, Masterton

Pinot Noir: 527 ha
Sauvignon Blanc: 394 ha
Chardonnay: 62 ha
Pinot Gris: 47 ha

soil: shallow silt loams with gravelly sub-soils

Major Natural Features: Aorangi and Tararua Ranges, Ruamahanga River
Major Producers: Ata Rangi, Dry River, Palliser Estate, Voss Estate

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6
Q

Wairarapa soils?

A

Martinborough known for shallow silt loams with gravelly sub soils

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7
Q

Most planted grape in Hawke’s Bay?

A

Chardonnay

Other: SB, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Syrah, PN, CS

similar climate to Bordeaux

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8
Q

Wairarapa - important grapes?

A

Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc

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9
Q

What body of water is to the West of New Zealand? to the East?

A

West: Tasman Sea

East: Pacific Ocean

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10
Q

What separates the North Island from the South Island in New Zealand?

A

the Cook Straight

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11
Q

List the main GIs on South Island NZ from North to South

A

Nelson
Marlborough
Canterbury
Waitaki North Ortago/ Waitaki Valley
Central Otago GI

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12
Q

Nelson GI

A

South Island, NZ

Non-GI Subzones: Mouteka, Takaka (Golden Hills), Upper Moutere Hills - gravel/clay, Waimea Plains - alluvial

Sauvignon Blanc: 621 ha
Pinot Noir: 164 ha
Pinot Gris: 111 ha
Chardonnay: 109 ha

Soil Types: gravelly silt loams in the Waimea Plains, clay-based soils in Upper Moutere
!! Average Annual Sunshine Hours: 2,405 hours !!
Major Natural Features: Tasman Mountains, Richmond Range, Waimea River, Tasman Bay, Golden Bay

Major Producers: Greenhough, Seifried Estate, Neudorf

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13
Q

Marlborough GI

A

South Island, NZ

Non-GI Subzones: Wairau Valley, Southern Valley, Awatere Valley

26,000 ha under vine- most in NZ:
White: Sauvignon Blanc (85.8%), Chardonnay (3.3%), Pinot Gris (3.2%), Riesling (.08%)
Red: Pinot Noir (6%)

Soil Types: variable shallow, stony soils and deep sandy loams, clay-based soils on hillside sites
!! Average Annual Sunlight Hours: 2,457 hours !!

Major Natural Features: Richmond Range (divides Marlborough and Nelson), Wither Hill Range, Kaikoura Ranges, Wairau River, Awatere River,

Major Producers: Allan Scott, Cloudy Bay, Fromm, Hunter’s, Saint Clair, Spy Valley

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14
Q

Canterbury GI

A

South Island, NZ

Subregions: North Canterbury GI, Waipara Valley/Waipara GI, Canterbury Plains

Pinot Noir: 444 ha
Sauvignon Blanc: 401 ha
Riesling: 271 ha
Pinot Gris: 215 ha
Chardonnay: 99 ha
some Gewurztraminer

Soil Types: silt loams over gravel in the Canterbury Plains, gravelly soils near the Waipara River, limestone-derived clays in the eastern Waipara region

Major Natural Features: Waimakariri River, Waipara River, Puketeraki Range, Canterbury Plains

Major Producers: Pegasus Bay, Pyramid Valley, Mud House, Giesen

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15
Q

Central Otago GI

A

South Island, NZ

Subregions: Bannockburn GI, Alexandra Basin, Bendigo, Cromwell Basin (Pisa & Lowburn), Gibbston, Wanaka

Pinot Noir: 1,656 ha
Pinot Gris: 172 ha
Chardonnay: 92 ha
Riesling: 62 ha
Sauvignon Blanc: 40 ha

!! Annual Rainfall: 10.8 inches !!

Major Natural Features: Southern Alps, Lake Wanaka, Waitaki River (North Otago), Lake Dunstan

Major Producers: Rippon, Peregrine, Felton Road, Mt. Difficulty

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16
Q

Soil types in Hawke’s Bay?

A

Greywacke gravel (sandstone with varied rocks), silt, sandy loam, Gimblett Gravels

Most of Hawke’s Bay’s vineyards are planted on the gravel-based alluvial soils of the Heretaunga Plains to the west of the city of Hastings

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17
Q

Gimblett Gravels

A

In Hawke’s Bay, on the Heretaunga Plains: The most renowned viticultural area of the plains is Gimblett Gravels, which was first planted in 1981 and now includes more than 800 hectares of vineyard.

The region’s geology resulted from an 1867 earthquake that changed the course of the Ngaruroro River, leaving behind gravel, silt, and loam

Vineyards must be min 95% on these deep shingle soils, and 95% of vineyards must be within the Hawke’s Bay GI

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18
Q

Poverty Bay

A

also known as Gisbourne, on the east coast of the North Island, New Zealand

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19
Q

What was the first commercial winery in Marlborough? When was it established?

A

Montana, established in 1973.

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20
Q

Describe the climate of New Zealand

A

North Island: warmer, rainier, often compared to Bordeaux

South Island: cooler, but sunnier and drier. In the rain shadow of the Southern Alps

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21
Q

Which GI on the North Island has the driest climate?

A

Hawke’s Bay

Annual Rainfall: 15.3 inches
Annual Average Sunlight Hours: 2,188 hours

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22
Q

Marlborough soil types?

A

valley floors are former riverbeds and consist of gravels, silt, sand, and loam.

Silty patches tend to provide more fertility, while bony, gravel-rich sections act as a natural curb on Sauvignon’s otherwise-enthusiastic growth;

more clay in the southern valleys

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23
Q

Major city in Canterbury GI? Bodies of water? Geographical features?

A

Christchurch. Teviotdale Hills provide shelter from cool air from Pegasus bay

Pegasus Bay - large bay

Smaller Bays: Governor’s Bay, Te Wharau/Charteris Bay, Head of the Bay

Lake: Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora)

24
Q

List 3 producers Central Otago

A

Burn Cottage
Felton Road
Rippon
Mt Difficulty
Peregrine

25
Q

Where was the traditional center of wine business in New Zealand?

A

Auckland- Montana and Villa Maria are headquartered here

26
Q

List 3 producers Marlborough

A

Montana (includes Brancott, Fairhall, owned by Pernod Ricard)
Cloudy Bay
Kim Crawford
Dog Point
Loveblock
Jackson Estate
Allan Scott,
Fromm,
Hunter’s,
Saint Clair,
Spy Valley

27
Q

Tuku Collective

A

A small group of Maori winemakers in NZ, including Steve Bird, Kuru Kuru, Tiki, Te Pa, Jeff Sinnot.

They are all certified sustainable.

28
Q

Who is the father of NZ Sauvignon Blanc?

A

Ross Spence- studied at UC Fresno, returned home, and planted the first SB vines in his Matua Road vineyard in 1968, producing the first commercially available wine in 1974. The vineyard had leafroll, so yields were low.

He brought cuttings to Wayne Thomas of Montana (now Brancott Estate) to plant the first Sauvignon Blanc vines in Marlborough in 1975. Montana produced the first commercially available Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc in 1979.

29
Q

What percentage of grape, vintage, and area must be present to label on a NZ wine?

A

85% of each

wines exported to EU must also have min 8.5% alcohol as well

30
Q

Why are NZ sauvignon blancs so aromatic?

A

Machine harvesting!

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.”

31
Q

Which NZ winery did Francois Millet consult for?

A

Francois Millet, of George de Vogue, consulted for Prophet’s Rock, in Central Otago

32
Q

Which region of NZ has the most plantings? The least?

A

Marlborough 27,808 ha
Waikato / Bay of Plenty 12 ha

second most: Hawke’s Bay, 5034 ha
second least: Waitaki Valley, 59 ha

33
Q

Which producer has most of the vineyards on Waiheke Island?

A

Man o War - around half.

They make Chardonnay, Syrah, Sb/Semillon, bdx blend, blanc de blancs

34
Q

Waiheke Island

A

subregion of Auckland GI, North Island, NZ

Warm, maritime. Can have lots of rainfall, lots of wind.

Mostly clay based soils, some volcanic in the east

35
Q

What is New Zealand’s oldest winery?

A

Mission Estate, which was founded in 1851 by Marist priests and continues to be owned by the Society of Mary. Hawke’s Bay

36
Q

Hawke’s Bay climate?

A

temperate maritime- similar to Bordeaux, almost same average temperature during the growing season - around 61 F

Vineyards closer to the Pacific are cooler in the summer, some late ripening grapes can struggle to ripen here.

low annual rainfall at around 15”

37
Q

Wairarapa soil types

A

vineyards lie on alluvial terraces created by the Ruamahanga River. Silty loams sit over free-draining gravels, which can be as deep as 15 meters in places

38
Q

List 3 producers from Wairarapa

A

Gladstone Vineyard
Urlar
Schubert
Ata Rangi,
Dry River,
Palliser Estate,
Voss Estate

39
Q

Wairau Valley is between which mountains?

A

Richmond Ranges, Wither Hills

WairauRiver ends in Cloudy Bay

(Marlborough)

40
Q

Waipara Soil

A

(Cantebury, South Island, NZ)

valleys: Glasnevin Gravels, alluvial, gravel and sandly loams

hillsides: face north and northwest and offer richer soil types, including loam, clay loam, and some limestone

41
Q

At what line of lattitude is Central Otago? What is the climate there?

A

45 degrees South

semi-continental, and quite dry. the westtest part, Wanaka, receives around 700 mm of rain each year (27 inches) the driest, Alexandra gets only 363 mm (14 inches)

Gibbston is coolest, Bendigo is warmest

Central Otago is sheltered from westerly winds and rain by 3 mountain ranges (??) Southern Alps, Pisa (in Cromwell)

42
Q

Viticultural threats in Central Otago?

A

Frost- huge diurnal swings
Wind
Sunburn

however, low humidity!

43
Q

Many of Otago’s vineyards are planted close to which lake? Why?

A

Lake Dunstan- the area is warmer, and the lake offers a source of water for irrigation

44
Q

Waitaki Valley GI

A

South Island, NZ

only around 60 ha planted, mostly to PN, PG

Waitakan Limestone

Major Producers: Ostler, Pasquale, River-T Estate Wines, Valli Vineyards

Upgraded to GI in 2018

45
Q

AMW

A

Appellation Marlborough Wine

Trademark / Producers group - 49 members, aimed at promoting quality Marlborough wine, since 2018. Initially focused on SB. All producers must be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, BioGro NZ or equivalent.

46
Q

who founded Cloudy Bay

A

in Marlborough, Cape Mentelle’s David Hohnen of Margaret River, established the the brand in 1985.

47
Q

Marlborough sub regions

A

N-S Wairau, Southern Valleys, Awatere Valley

Wairau protected by Richmond Ranges to N, Wither Hills to S.

The Awatere is cooler and windier than the Wairau Valley due to exposure to coastal winds

48
Q

Marlborough soil

A

alluvial. valley floors are former riverbeds and consist of gravels as well as silt, sand, and loam deposited by the river.

Silty patches tend to provide more fertility, while bony, gravel-rich sections act as a natural curb on Sauvignon’s otherwise-enthusiastic growth

Southern Valleys tend to have more clay, and are often better suited for PN

49
Q

Methode Marlborough

A

group created in 2013 to set a framework for quality sparkling production. The group’s members must use the three Champagne varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, and wines must spend at least 18 months on lees.

50
Q

Valleys in Southern Valleys

A

Omaka, Fairhall, Brancott, Ben Morvan and Waihopai Valleys

51
Q

Wairau Valley

A

in Marlborough

subregions: Rapaura and Renwick

alluvial valley, varied soils.

52
Q

Hawke’s Bay Producers

A

Craggy Range,
Esk Valley Estate,
Sacred Hill,
Sileni,
Te Mata,
Trinity Hill
Church Road
Tony Bish
Bilancia

53
Q

Producers Auckland

A

North Island, NZ

Kumeu River, Matua Valley, Babich, Cable Bay, Stonyridge, Pernod Ricard NZ, Villa Maria

54
Q

Producers Hawke’s Bay

A

Craggy Range, Esk Valley Estate, Sacred Hill, Sileni, Te Mata, Trinity Hill

55
Q

Producers Canterbury

A

Pegasus Bay, Pyramid Valley, Mud House, Giesen

56
Q

Central Otago Subregions & Climate

A

Gibbston- highest elevation, cool climate

Bannockburn- warm, dry

Cromwell, Lowburn and Pisa- western side of Lake Dunstan

Wanaka- coolest, wettest

Bendigo- hot summers, north facing slopes

Alexandra- extremes, most southerly

Master Sommelier Theory 2025 (58 decks)

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