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