New Zealand Study Guide Flashcards
Who is responsible for planting the first vines from French and Spanish cuttings in New Zealand? What region?
James Busby in Northland
Who did the New Zealand Department of Agriculture commission to study New Zealand’s vineyards and combatting Phylloxera?
What did he contribute to the advancement of viticulture in New Zealand?
Austrian viticulturist Romeo Bragato from Victoria
Bragato identified many of New Zealand’s modern wine regions (with the exception of Marlborough) and educated growers on the importance of grafting vines onto disease-resistant American rootstock.
What stymied the promising start to the 20th century in regards to the New Zealand’s advancement of its wine industry?
a simmering temperance movement and the disbanding of the New Zealand Departure of Agriculture’s Viticultural Division in 1909.
For how long did Six o’clock swill remain in effect until?
Through WWI up until 1967
What was New Zealand’s most planted variety in 1960? What reflection on the state of New Zealand’s winemaking culture did this demonstrate?
Albany Surprise
Reflected the fact that much of New Zealand’s vineyards were planted to low quality grapes with little incentive for planting quality grapes as the temperance movement was still in effect.
When were retail shops finally allowed to sell bottles of wine? Restaurants? Winery?
1955 for retail shops
1960 for restaurants
1976 for wineries
When did European Vitis vinifera grapes begin to replace the hybrid grapes in New Zealand? What hastened this?
vinifera grapes begin to replace hybrids in the 1970s
This was hastened by a government-sponsored vine pull scheme in 1986
What is the name of New Zealand’s largest winemaking company that established Marlborough’s first commercial vineyard? When was this? What varietal from what region did they release that was New Zealand’s first varietal wine?
Montana in 1973
Gisbourne Chardonnay
Which producer is responsible for putting Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc on the map?
Cloudy Bay
What are the major markers for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc?
highly intense aromas of passion fruit, jalapeño, ripe grapefruit, and grass
What style of wines is Marlborough known for?
still dry Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wines
On what island are the Southern Alps located? What effect does it have on the wine regions east of them?
South Island
Creates a rain shadow
How does the landscape and climate of the North Island differ from the South Island?
Warmer and rainier on the North Island
What is the name of the large sea west of New Zealand?
Tasman Sea
What is the southern-most wine growing region in the world? What parallel is it located on?
Central Otago located on the 45th parallel
Where are a majority of New Zealand’s vineyards planted?
Flat expanses with most located within 20 miles of the eastern coastline
What aspect of New Zealand wine production is vital and comparable to Australia? What is notably absent in New Zealand compared to Australia which relies heavily on it?
Like Australia, New Zealand relies heavily on mechanical harvesting as there is a lack of cheap source of labor in the country.
Unlike Australia, due to having much less landmass, New Zealand doesn’t have massive expanses of land dedicated to bulk wine. It is not economically feasible. Producers overall have focused on higher price points in the global wine market.
What is notable about New Zealand’s average price per bottle?
It is higher than in anywhere else in the world.
All of New Zealand’s wine producers belong to what organization? What is this and when was it formed?
New Zealand Winegrowers, a joint initiative between the Grape Grower’s Council and the New Zealand Wine Institute
Founded in 2002
When was the Screwcap Initiative pioneered? What is this?
Pioneered in 2001, it is an international association of producers dedicated to the screw cap enclosure, even on ultra premium bottlings.