New Zealand: Intro + North Island Flashcards
Describe the general climate in New Zealand.
Cool, maritime climate
Between what latitudes do you find New Zealand’s vineyards?
36 to 46 degrees south
When were the first vines planted in New Zealand, and by who?
Samuel Marsden in 1819
When was the first wine making recorded in New Zealand and by who?
James Busby in 1840
Why was growth in the wine industry in New Zealand inhibited until 1960?
Laws were restrictive
Beer and whisky were more in demand by British immigrants
What was New Zealand’s Sale of Liquor act and what year did it come into force?
1989: Supermarkets were permitted to sell alcohol
What type of wine was primarily made in New Zealand in the first half of the 20th century?
Fortified wines labelled as Sherry and Port
Who established the first vineyards for producing table wine in the 20th century in New Zealand? In which growing regions?
Immigrants (mainly Croatians)
Hawkes Bay and West Auckland
Why was the established dairy industry important to New Zealand’s wine production?
High standards of hygiene were already in place
Temperature control was already used
Allowed producers to make clean, reliable wines
How many hectares under vine in New Zealand in 2019?
Has this increased or decreased since 1981?
38,000ha
Huge increase - up from 5,000ha in 1981
How many hl of New Zealand wine were exported in 2019? Has this increased or decreased since 1981?
2.7 million hl
Huge increase - up from 6,000hl in 1981
What is the name of the body of water that seperates New Zealand’s north and south islands?
Cook Strait
Which body of water moderates New Zealand’s temperatures?
The Pacific Ocean
Which is the only NZ growing region that does not have a maritime climate?
Central Otago - has a semi continental climate
Which two regions in New Zealand’s North Island have a moderate climate? Why?
Gisborne and Auckland
They are more northerly with lower latitude
Are New Zealand’s wine growing regions mostly in the east or west?
East
What is the name of the mountain range that runs the length of the South Island in New Zealand?
What effect does this have on the wine growing regions here?
The Southern Alps
Protects vineyards from excessive rain and prevailing winds from the Tasman sea
What is the main closure used on New Zealand wine bottles?
Screw cap - 90%
Avoids risk of cork taint
Is UV radiation high or low in New Zealand?
Why is this?
How does this affect grape growing?
High levels of UV due to the hole in the ozone layer and low levels of pollution
Enhances colour and tannin development in grapes
Can increase chances of sunburn in grapes, so leaf positioning is important
Are sunlight hours longer or shorter in the more southerly New Zealand growing regions?
How does this affect grape growing?
Longer sunshine hours at more southerly latitudes
Increases the viable ripening period
Makes viticulture possible in more marginal sites
Why are vines particularly vigorous in New Zealand?
What can be done to help reduce vigour?
Adequate rainfall
Long sunlight hours
High UV
Fertile soils
Canopy management is needed to prevent shading of fruit and to minimise vegetative growth.
What training systems are typically used in New Zealand?
Generally vines are trained and trellised using VSP and 2 canes
Some producers use complex systems that have 4 canes per vine e.g. Scott Henry, however high yields can be an issue for ripening in the coolest years
Why do New Zealand wine producers typically train vines with a high fruiting zone?
High sunlight hours mean vines don’t neat reflected solar energy from the ground
What type of harvesting is normal in New Zealand?
Machine harvesting
Is rainfall high or low in New Zealand?
What problems does this present for grape growing?
High rainfall, especially in the North Island.
Can be issues with rot
Is irrigation commonly used in New Zealand?
Why?
Irrigation is common
Despite adequate rainfall, irrigation is used in areas with free draining alluvial soils due to strong winds increasing evapotranspiration
What is the main pest in New Zealand? What do grape growers do to limit damage?
Birds
Netting and bird scarers
What negative effects can weather systems off the Pacific Ocean bring to New Zealand?
Tropical cyclones and storms off the ocean can cause problems with flowering and fruit set, or problems at harvest. This can negatively impact fruit quality and yields
What is the name of the sustainability program in New Zealand? How many producers are members?
Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand
Almost all producers are members
What percentage of New Zealand vineyards are certified organic?
5% - although there is increasing interest
Name the nine most planted grape varieties in New Zealand.
Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Gris Merlot Riesling Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon Gewurztraminer
What percentage of plantings in New Zealand are Sauvignon Blanc?
62%
Describe the typical winemaking decisions for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
- Low temperature fermentation
- Stainless steel / neutral vessel
- Cultured yeasts increase favourable aromatics
- MLF and lees ageing are avoided to preserve fruit
- Chaptalisation is common in cooler years
- Ascorbic acid and so2 ensure freshness after bottling
- Minimise oxygen contact and keep fruit cold
What conditions in the vineyard are needed for producing the distinctive style of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
- High levels of light needed in the vineyard
- Adequate water (irrigating where necessary)
- Canopy management
- High diurnal range: long season, intense aromas, high acidity
- Mechanical hrvest creates som skin contact with juice leading to higher levels of herbaceous aromas
Describe how row orientation and canopy management can create different flavours in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines.
What else can produce different aromas in the wines?
Fruit on the sunny side of the canopy is fully ripe with tropical fruit flavours
On the shadier side higher levels of green pepper, grassy herbaceous aromas.
Slightly earlier picking can also promote herbaceousness in the wine, as can machine harvesting
What techniques are New Zealand wine producers using to experiment with Sauvignon Blanc?
- Barrel ferment
- Lees stirring
- Partial or full MLF
- Oak maturation
- Skin contact
- Indigenous yeasts
How might New Zealand winemakers make fresh, fruity, high volume red wines?
- Mid range fermentation temperatures
- Cultured yeasts
- Neutral vessels
Describe typical winemaking options for premium Pinot Noir and Syrah in New Zealand.
- Whole bunch (varying proportions) adding herbal/ floral note
- Cold maceration to extract colour and aroma (especially Pinot)
- Extraction during the winemaking process depends on the grape variety and the desired style
- Maturation in French oak: larger oak is more favoured for Pinot
Describe the climate in Greater Auckland.
What is the main threat to the grape growing?
Moderate Maritime climate
High humidity means rot is a risk.
Name the three sub regions in Greater Auckland
Waiheke Island
West Auckland
Matakana
What are the main grape varieties in Waiheke Island?
Give a tasting note for these wines.
Cab Sauvignon and Syrah
Medium to full body
Black fruit
Oak spice
Can be outstanding
Describe the climate and topography features of Waiheke Island.
Warmer than the rest of Auckland, favouring mid to late ripening varieties
Undulating topography shelters vines from winds
Why is vineyard land expensive in Greater Auckland?
How does this affect the price of wines here?
Competition from urbanisation
Many wines fetch premium prices
Name the main growing regions in New Zealands North Island from north to south
Auckland
Gisborne
Hawke’s Bay
Wairarapa
Is land under vine increasing or decreasing in Gisborne? Why?
Decreasing - more money can be made growing kiwis and apples
Describe the main soils and topography typically found in Gisborne.
Where is higher quality fruit grown?
Flat, fertile flood plain of clay loam and silt.
Higher quality from hillsides where soils are poorer.
Describe the climate in Gisborne.
Moderate maritime climate, with high sunshine hours and high rainfall (1,000mm)
What climatic factor reduces the threat of frost in Gisborne?
Warming breezes from the north
What factors can cause vines to be very vigorous in Gisborne?
High rainfall, long sunshine hours and fertile soils
What is the rainfall like in Gisborne?
What effect can this have on grape growing?
High: 1,000mm
Increases vine vigour
Rain at harvest can cause dilution
High humidity: rot
What is the main grape grown in Gisborne?
Describe the quality/ styles available
Chardonnay (50% of plantings)
Premium: full bodied, barrel fermented, ripe stone fruit
Inexpensive: Simple, fruity, unoaked
What styles of Pinot Gris are produced in Gisborne?
Both inexpensive (simple fruity) and premium (with lees stirring and old oak maturation)
Wines range from dry to medium dry
What is the oldest wine producing region in New Zealand?
Hawke’s Bay
Describe the climate and rainfall in Hawke’s Bay.
What region is it climatically similar to?
Moderate maritime climate with high rainfall (1,000mm)
Bordeaux
Describe the main soils found in Hawke’s Bay
Gravelly alluvial soils similar to Medoc
What is the main style of wine that Hawke’s Bay is known for?
Describe the price points available.
Merlot dominant Bordeaux blends (some Cab Sauv is grown but struggles to ripen)
Inexpensive: simple and fruity
Premium: Ripe black fruit, oak, medium plus body and acidity. Can be outstanding
What are the two best known subregions in Hawke’s Bay? Describe where these are and the climatic conditions.
Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa
Found further inland; warm days but less coastal influence means frost can be an issue
Describe the soils found in Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa.
Both have alluvial terraces with gravelly top soils.
Gimblett Gravels’ stony topsoil retains heat and radiates it back to the vines at night. Soils are more free draining and irrigation is needed.
Bridge Pa has a deeper topsoil of sandy clay and loam. Soils have better water retention.
What grapes are planted closer to the coast in Hawke’s Bay?
What styles of wine do they produce?
Syrah - fresh style, matured in French oak with some new. Blackberry and black pepper. Outstanding, premium
Chardonnay - fresh styles. Both simple, mid priced wines and premium, outstanding wines. Premium often full bodied with struck match character.
Which is the most southerly wine region in North Island New Zealand?
Wairarapa
Wairarapa focuses on ____ wines from ____ yielding vines.
_____ and ____ are the most grown varieties
Premium wines from low yielding vines.
Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc
Name the three subzones in Wairarapa
Masterton
Gladstone
Martinborough
Describe the climate in Wairarapa
Cool maritime climate.
Summers are warm but diurnal range is high slowing ripening and prolonging the growing season
Why is tourism big in Wairarapa?
It is close to the large city of Wellington. It is known as Wellington Wine Country
Why are yields particularly low in Wairarapa?
Strong winds come directly of the Cook Strait.
This can affect flowering and fruit set, negatively impacting yield
Frost can also lessen yield, but installation of wind machines has reduced the threat
What effects do strong winds in Wairarapa have on grape growing?
- Reducing yields
- Berries have thicker skins: Pinot Noir here has higher levels of fine grained tannins
What soils are found in Wairarapa?
How do these affect grape growing?
Range, but the most dominant is free draining alluvial gravel terraces with silt loam and loess
Silt loam and loess take a long time to warm up and have a cooling effect which slows ripening, resulting in more concentrated complex fruit flavours
What price and quality of Pinot Noir is found in Wairarapa?
What clones are commonly planted?
V.good to outstanding, premium priced.
ABEL CLONE
A cutting from DDRC: flowers late, missing the worst weather, productive with large berries (inhibited by winds)
Dijon clones 667 and 777 are also common
What price and quality of Sauvignon Blanc is found in Wairarapa?
Compare the style with an example from Marlborough
V.good, some outstanding, premium priced.
More restrained and herbaceous than Marlborough, but similar high acidity. Lower yields can create more intensity.
Premium examples may use wild yeast, barrels and lees to add texture
