New Zealand Flashcards
When did the vine arrive to NZ, who planted it, and where?
1819 in the Northland. James Busby, who helped in the early viticultural efforts of NSW Australia also.
Who was instrumental in guiding NZ viticulture through phylloxera and indentified almost every modern wine region, excluding Marlborough
Austrian viticulturalist Romeo Bragato
What event stifled the NZ wine industry through the first half of the 20th century?
Temperance
The country’s viticultural division was disbanded in 1909, and ‘Six O’clock Swill’ remained in effect until 1967 which forced pubs to close early at 6pm
During the temperance movement in New Zealand, what obstacles hampered the industry?
Growers planted low quality hybrids that could be sold as table grapes if Prohibition came, and bottle sales were restricted outright until 1955, until 1960 in restaurants.
What is the climate like in New Zealand?
The North Island is wet, with lots of cloud cover. The South, while it enjoys a rain shadow, is colder, but longer sunlight hours there.
For most regions, maritime and moderated by proximity to the coast.
Otago being the exception.
Who would be first to plant a commercial vineyard in Marlborough?
Montana, in 1973 (today they are Brancott Estate)
What producer would put Marlborough on the map, and when was its first vintage?
Cloudy Bay 1985
As of 2019, what percentage of NZ vineyard is in Marlborough?
What percent of total NZ production is Sauv Blanc?
70%
60%
What characterizes a NZ vineyard?
Typically laid out in a flat expanse where mechanical harvesting is possible.
Most are on the Eastern coastlines.
What are New Zealand wine regions called?
Geographical Indications (G.I.)
What rule does New Zealand follow in terms of listing the GI, grape, or vintage on a label?
The 85% rule.
Any laws restricting must enrichment, acidification, pruning, max yields, or irrigation in New Zealand?
Nope.
What is New Zealand’s Northern most GI? Percent of NZ production?
Northland, less than 1%
What is the capital city of NZ, also the name of the GI that surrounds it?
What percent of NZ production?
Auckland, about 1%
What are the 3 Sub Regions of Auckland?
Kumeu - Chardonnay (burgundian)
Matakana
Waiheke Island - Merlot and Syrah
What body of water does Waiheke Island sit in?
Hauraki Gulf
On which island are Waikato and Bay of Plenty GI’s?
The North Island, there aren’t any wineries there though.
What wine region is the first to see a sun rise every day?
Gisborne, North Island, New Zealand
What is Gisborne GI known for?
What body of water sits off its coast?
White wine, its very cool there. Chardonnay (leads by a lot)
Muller Thurgau
Pinot Gris
Gewurz
Viogner
Poverty Bay
What are the sub regions of Gisborne?
Where is the Golden Slope and what is it?
Ormond (golden slope, limestone soils, excellent Chardonnay)
Patutahi (warmer, inland, clay, 1/3 of plantings)
Manutuke
Which GI is the largest and driest on the North Island of NZ?
Hawke’s Bay
What are the sub regions of Hawke’s Bay GI?
Gimblett Gravels
Esk Valley
Bridge Pa
Dartmoor Valley
What river runs through Hawke’s Bay GI, and floods frequently?
Ngaruroro River
What soil type is Hawke’s Bay notable for?
Greywacke Gravel
What kinds of wines are most prevalent from Hawke’s Bay GI?
Red, Bordeaux Blends and Syrah
What is the Southernmost GI on North Island NZ?
What are its two sub regions?
Wairarapa
Martinborough
Gladstone
What sub region sits just outside Wairarapa GI? Whats made there?
Ohau, crisp Sauv Blanc and Pinot Gris
What river runs through Wairarapa? What terroir did this river create for nearby Martinborough and Gladstone?
Ruamahanga
Deep alluvial terraces of gravel
What three producers are important to know in Wairarapa? (in Martinborough)
Ata Ranghi
Dry River Wines
Martinborough Vineyard
Whats the climate like in Hawke’s Bay?
temperate maritime, moderated by the Pacific
Whats the climate like in Wairarapa?
What city is nearby?
Its cool, and sunny. Very windy here which hinders yields, and thickens grape skins.
Wellington
Who would establish the Cloudy Bay brand in the 1980s? Where is his home winery?
David Hohnen, Cape Mentelle in Margaret River
What is the climate like in Marlborough?
Maritime, with lots of sunlight hours, almost 25% more than Sancerre. Dry, with temps comparable to Burgundy
What are the 3 sub regions of Marlborough?
Wairau Valley in the North, Awatere Valley to the South, and the Southern Valleys in between.
What are the soils of Marlborough?
Alluvial soils, gravel, silt and loam.
In Southern Valleys a bit of clay and loess mixes in.
What percent of Marlborough is dedicated to Sauv Blanc?
In which sub region does Pinot Noir perform best?
80%
Southern Valleys, the loess and clay helps.
What Champagne house has a presence in Marlborough?
Deutz, and they make a traditional method sparkler.
What two geographical features protect Wairau Valley from weather and cold winds from the West?
Richmond Ranges and the Wither Hills
Compare Wairau and Awatere Valleys.
Wairau is protected from winds, Awatere is not. So, Awatere is the cooler region, but the wind also shrinks bunch sizes and thickens skins. Awatere wines are greener.
What body of water separates Marlborough from Wairarapa?
The Cook Strait
What body of water does Nelson GI sit next to?
Tasman Bay
What mountain range stretches along the Western coast of the South Island of NZ?
The Southern Alps
What paradoxic climate realities does Nelson GI enjoy?
It is both the sunniest of all NZ wine regions, (Marlborough claims this too) while being the rainiest of the South Island.
What producer in Nelson GI is most important to know?
Neudorf
What 2 sub regions are in Nelson GI and how do they differ?
Waimea Plains, alluvial gravel and light wines
Moutere Hills, gravelly clay and heftier wines, its also warmer.
What grape leads plantings in Nelson GI, and what other 3 grapes come in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th?
Sauv Blanc accounts for half.
Pinot is 15%
Chardonnay and Pinot Gris about 10% each
In North Canterbury GI, what is the South Island’s largest city, what body of water does it sit on, and what is the major wine GI and hour North of town?
Christchurch
Pegasus Bay
Waipara Valley GI
Whats the climate like in Waipara Valley GI?
What grapes thrive here?
Its very cool, and grapes like Riesling, Sauv Blanc, and Pinot Noir do very well.
Describe the terroir of Waipara Valley.
There are two soil areas. Valley floor is alluvial gravel, producing lighter wines.
On the hillsides there is more clay and some limestone. The North facing slopes are particularly prized for their Pinot Noirs
What is the world’s most Southerly wine region?
Central Otago
What is the climate in Central Otago?
Continental. The only one in New Zealand. The sun is blinding here, and it is very dry, in a rain shadow of the Southern Alps.
What percent of Central Otago vineyard is dedicated to Pinot Noir?
75%
What are some unique traits of Central Otago’s climate?
No ozone layer, so sunlight packs a punch, higher UV leads to thicker skins and deeply colored pinots
The Southerly latitude increases the length of the day, increasing the sunlight hours.
Wide diurnal splits, 85-35 on some days.
What percent of NZ Pinot does Otago account for?
more than 25%
What are the Central Otago sub zones?
Alexandra Basin
Gibbston
Bannockburn GI
Wanaka
Cromwell Basin
Bendigo
Name 4 major producers from Central Otago.
Rippon
Mt Difficulty
Felton Road
Peregrine
Burn Cottage
Which Otago sub region is coolest and produces the most elegant wines?
Which accounts for 70% of the vineyard in Otago?
Gibbston
Well, the areas around Lake Dunstan, Cromwell, Bendigo, Bannockburn, combined do.
Whats all the fuss about Waitaki Valley North Otago GI?
3 grapes?
Experimental region, and NZ’S smallest. Growers are attracted by the limestone here, very rare for NZ. Its very cold here and ripening is difficult.
Pinot Noir/Gris and Riesling
Who produces the following, and from what GI do they hail?
a) Section 94
b) Te Wahi
c) The Quarry
d) Larose
e) Clos de Ste Anne
a) Dog Point, Marlborough
b) Cloudy Bay, Marlborough, PN
c) Craggy Range, Hawke’s Bay, Cab Sauv
d) Stonyridge, Waiheke Isl Auckland, Cab
e) Millton, Gisborne, Chard
With a defined soil type, like Gimblett Gravels, on a label, what percent must come from there?
95%
Who makes the wines ‘Mystae’ and ‘Magna Praemia’ in New Zealand, what kind of wine are they and where are they from?
Destiny Bay
Red Bordeaux Blends
Waiheke Island
