NEW ZEALAND

Question 1

Climate?

Answer 1

Maritime overall
Long sunshine hours, nights cooled by sea breezes, long ripening period

South island-Cool

North island- A bit warmer

Question 2

Vineyards on the South island?

Answer 2

Located on the east side
Protected from rain bearing west winds by mountains in the center of the island

Question 3

Many vineyard areas experience a lot of what?

Answer 3

-Rain
-Can be a problem during ripening
-Soils tend to be free draining so they don’t experience waterlog

Those on flat land can be overly fertile (excessive shoot and leaf growth)

Question 4

Flagship grape with majority of wine production?

Answer 4

Sauv B
Pungent aromas, intense flavours of elderflower and passionfruit and high acid

Question 5

Sauv B in the North island?

South Island?

Answer 5

Warmer North=More tropical flavours

Cooler South-Higher acid, flavours of green bell pepper, gooseberry

**Usually fermented in inert vessels at cool temps
Some make oak matured styles

Question 6

Chardonnay characteristics?

Answer 6

Concentrated citrus and tropical fruits with subtle hints of toast from new French oak

Question 7

2aromatic whites and 1 semi aromatic white NZ has been exploring?

Answer 7

Riesling
Gew

Semi-Pinot Gris

Question 8

2nd most planted grape?

Answer 8

Pinot Noir

Mainly in South island

A few select spots in the North

Question 9

Pinot Noir characteristics?

Answer 9

Vibrant fruit
Fine ripe tannins
Soft texture
High alcohol

Question 10

2nd greatest volume grape for red?

What is added to it?

Answer 10

Merlot

Cab Sauv-Adds tannin and cassis making Bordeaux style blend

Mainly in the North where warmer temps help to ripen black grapes

Question 11

Syrah does best where?

Answer 11

Warmer sites, similar to Rhone

Question 12

Traditionally where was the heart of the wine industry?

Answer 12

Aukland

Question 13

Climate in Aukland (North Island)

Most planted grapes?

Answer 13

Warm
Wettest part of NZ, fungal disease is an issue

Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah

Question 14

Gisborne climate (North Island)

Most planted grape variety?

Answer 14

Rainfall is high, but so are the temps and sunshine hours in the growing season

Chardonnay-Ripe tropical fruit flavors

Small amount of high quality Gew and full bodied Pinot Gris

Question 15

Hawke’s Bay (North island) Climate?

Answer 15

Warmest of the main grape growing areas and has the longest sunshine hours

Question 16

What is Gimblett Gravels?

Answer 16

In Hawke’s Bay

-A parcel of well drained heat absorbing gravel soil on the valley floor

High reputation for black grapes (Merlot and Cab Sauv in Bordeaux style blends)

Some Syrah

Question 17

Wairarapa (North Island) climate?

Most important area here?

What is it known for?

Answer 17

-High summer temps, but wide diurnal range

-Martinborough

Martinborough-Global reputation for Pinot Noir and is now registered as a GI (Medium-full bodied, ripe hints of dark plum and spice)

Question 18

Major centre for grape growing in NZ?

Answer 18

Marlborough

Question 19

2 adjacent estuary valleys where vineyards like in Marlborough (South Island)?

Answer 19

Wairau-Largest
Sauv B
Has long sunny days
Not uniform
Has a number of side valleys on the southern side of Wairau that give producers a number of aspects and altitudes

Awatere-Drier, cooler, windier
Sauv B has higher acid here, pronounced herbaceous character and lack tropical fruit flavors that can be found in some of the wines from the Wairau Valley

Question 20

Rules for wines with a GI?

Answer 20

A min of 85% of the grapes must come from the region to which the GI relates

Question 21

What other grapes are also widely planted in Marlborough?

Answer 21

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and used for still and sparkling wine production

Still Pinot Noir-Medium body, fine tannins, flavors of cherry and cranberry

Riesling and Pinot Gris also perform well here

Question 22

Nelson (South Island) Climate?

Grapes?

Answer 22

Cooler and wetter than Marlborough

Sauv Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris

Question 23

Cantebury (South Island) has 2 main centres of viticulture, what are they?

What grapes are they known for?

Answer 23

1. In the plain immediately to the west of the town of Christchurch (Exposed to the cooling influence of the Pacific, slight warming effect from North Westerly winds)

2.Larger one, Waipara Valley to the north (Impact of warm winds if more marked here, as it’s less exposed to the ocean due to a range of hills)

Sauv B and Pinot Noir 2 most planted

Waipara also has high quality Riesling

Question 24

Climate in Central Otago (South Island)

Answer 24

-Continental
-Frost damage is a risk in Spring and Autumn
-Summers can be warm
-Diurnal range in the growing season is large
-Intensity of sunlight is very high (Wines tend to have high levels of alcohol)

Question 25

Most planted grape in Central Otago?

Answer 25

Pinot Noir- Full bodied, juicy, vibrant, concentrated ripe red fruit flavors

Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay also found here