New Zealand Flashcards by Victoria Brown

Location of New Zealand

Southern Hemisphere
4,100 km/2,500 miles to the southeast of Australia

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How is New Zealand divided?

North Island

South Island

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Physical Features of New Zealand

Southern Alps

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

South Island climate

Cool

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Marlborough climate

Cool maritime (with protection)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Central Otago climate

Cool continental

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

North Island climate

Warmer, humid

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Hawke’s Bay climate

Moderate maritime

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Gisborne climate

Cool maritime

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Wairarapa climate

Cool maritime

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What type of bottle topping do they use in New Zealand

Screwcap

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

White Grape Varieties in New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris
Gewürztraminer
Riesling (Central Otago)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Red Grape Varieties in New Zealand

Pinot Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah
Merlot

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Winemaking in New Zealand

Clean, modern, winemaking

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Grape growing in South Island

Long sunlight hours

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Grape growing in North Island

Humidity

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Where are all the vineyards planted in New Zealand?

Eastern side of the mountain ranges

Note:

western side is too windy
mostly planted on flat plains of gently rolling hills

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Important soil type in New Zealand

Gimblett Gravels

Geographical Indications (GIs) in New Zealand

Trademark only with no minimums, no rules.

- Hawke Bay

What is the main white grape in Hawkes Bay?

Chardonnay

What are the main red grape varitiels of Hawkes Bay?

Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah

What is Gimblett Gravels

An area within Hawkes Bay

produces high quality Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon

GIs in North Island

Hawke’s Bay
Gimblett Gravels
Gisborne GI
Wairarapa GI
Martinborough GI

GIs in South Island

Central Otago GI
Marlborough GI
Nelson GI
Canterbury GI

Marlborough GI - how much fruit has to come from that region

Labeling requires 100% fruit from the region.

Style of New Zealand white wines

Whites: Typically unoaked, high flavor intensity with high natural acidity.

Style of New Zealand red wines

Lightly oaked

Producer - Proprietary Brand for New Zealand

Cloudy Bay Felton Road Villa Maria

Food and Beverage Pairing New Zealand Wines

High-acid and unoaked wines with seafood, starters, salads Intense flavors can be too much for super delicate dishes

Food and Beverage Pairing New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc has ripeness for sweet-savory ingredients (e.g., mango salsa); pair acid with acid.

Vintages in New Zealand

Recent vintages are 6 months ahead of Northern Hemisphere

Know Scott Henry and Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) trellis systems.

Scott Henry System: Divides the canopy into upward and downward planes, improving airflow, sunlight exposure, and ripening; commonly used in New Zealand’s vigorous regions like Marlborough for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP): Trains shoots vertically in a single plane, enhancing light penetration, mechanical harvesting, and disease control; widely adopted for cool-climate varietals like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Climate Adaptation: Both systems help manage New Zealand’s variable climate by improving grape quality and minimizing disease risk. Regional Suitability: Scott Henry is preferred in high-yield areas, while VSP is more universal for premium wine production.

The modern wine industry did not truly began in New Zealand until?

1970's Note: - Biggest change that marked the modernization of New Zealand wine was the introduction of refrigerated, stainless steel Fermentation tanks - This allowed for winemakers to produce the clean, crisp whites they have become famous for

What is another name for screwcap?

Stelvin Closure

The wines in New Zealand are labeled how?

By grape variety

New Zealand is considered New World or Old World?

New World

What are the main grapes of North Island, New Zealand

Cabernet Sauvignon 🔴 Merlot 🔴 Syrah 🔴 Chardonnay ⚪ Pinot Gris ⚪

Where are most of the vineyards located in Auckland

On the western half of the region and on Waiheke island

What is the small island that sets east of the Auckland region

Waiheke Island

What are the main grapes grown in Auckland

Cabernet Sauvignon 🔴 Merlot 🔴 Chardonnay ⚪ Pinot Gris ⚪

Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative 2001

A movement led by winemakers, primarily in New Zealand and Australia, to replace traditional cork closures with screwcaps. This initiative aimed to address issues like cork taint (caused by TCA contamination) and inconsistent aging associated with natural corks.

Why didn’t New Zealand 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

Subregions of Marlborough

- Awatere Valley - Wairau Valley

New Zealand red wine food and beverage pairing

Pinot Noir and Bordeaux blends can be elegant non-European options