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.
In what two countries was the screwcap enclosure widely used prior to it being used on a majority of New Zealand’s wines?
Switzerland and Australia
What is the first New Zealand producer to release wines under Screwcap? What percent of New Zealand’s wines are released under screw cap today?
Kim Crawford
Over 85% of the country’s wines are released with the enclosure now.
What are the 6 major wine producing regions on the North Island?
Northland Auckland Waikato/Bay of Plenty Gisborne Hawke's Bay Wairarapa
What are the 4 major wine production regions of the South Island?
Nelson
Marlborough
Canterbury
Central Otago
If a bottle of New Zealand has a grape or vintage on the label, wine must contain what minimum % of the grape or vintage’s fruit respectively?
min 85%
What was the largest wine region in New Zealand in 1960? How much of the country’s total production comes from there today?
Auckland
Approximately 2% today
What are the two official subregions of Auckland? What are the 5 unofficial? What are the three best for premium red wines?
Official:
Waiheke Island
Matakana
Unofficial: Kumeu/Huapai Henderson South Auckland West Auckland Clevedon
Matakana, Waiheke Island, and Kumeu are considered the best for premium reds
What are the two major wine companies based in Auckland? Which is owned by Pernod Ricard NZ?
Montana (owned by Pernod Ricard NZ)
Villa Maria
What kind of climate does Auckland experience?
wet, maritime
What are the chief viticultural concerns in the North Island?
rot and frost
Which wine region on the North Island has the driest climate?
Hawke’s Bay
Which region is the largest producer of red wines despite having most of its land devoted to white grapes?
What is the most planted red grape there? What are the other 3 major red grapes planted there?
What are the major white grapes here?
Hawke’s Bay
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, an Pinot Noir
Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris
What is the dominant soil type in the Gimblet Gravels subregion of Hawke’s Bay?
What wines have developed a strong reputation here?
Deep shingle soils
BDX blends and Syrah have developed a strong reputation.
What are the 4 top subregions of Hawke’s Bay? Which is the best for Merlot?
Gimblett Gravels
Dartmoor Valley
Esk Valley
Ngatarawa (best for Merlot)
Which wine region is known for being the first in the world to see the sun everyday? What is it also called?
Poverty Bay/ Gisbourne
What are the two top white grapes in Gisbourne?
Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer
What is the southernmost wine region on the North Island? What is its official name? What is the top subregion in Wellington? What are the top grapes there?
Wairarapa (official name is Wellington)
Martinborough is the top subregion. Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc excel there.
What is the wettest, sunniest, and northernmost wine region on the South Island? What is the red grape and 3 white grapes that excel here?
Nelson
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling thrive here.
What wine region on the South Island is responsible for over half of the country’s wine production?
Marlborough
In addition to Sauvignon Blanc, what other grapes thrive in Marlborough?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Riesling
What two wineries does Montana own and in combination with its own production accounts for over 2/3 of the production in Marlborough?
Brancott and Fairhall
What are 4 top producers of sparkling wine in Marlborough?
Cloudy Bay
Kim Crawford
Hunter’s
Lindauer
What is the name of the wine collaboration between Montana and Deutz?
Deutz Marlborough Cuvée
What are the 3 subzones of Marlborough?
Wairau Valley
Awatere Valley
Southern Valleys
Waipara is a subregion of what major region of the South Island? imal to?
Waipara is a subregion of Canterbury
What are the two unofficial subregions of Canterbury?
Waipara Valley
Canterbury Plains
What is New Zealand’s highest altitude and southernmost wine region?
Central Otago
What is the only region in New Zealand to experience a continental climate?
Central Otago
What direction do the best vineyards face in Central Otago?
North
Southern-facing vineyards are often too cold for viticulture
What are the chief viticultural hazards in Central Otago?
Frost in the spring
What are the three top producers of Pinot Noir in Central Otago?
Felton Road
Mt. Difficulty
Rippon
What are the 6 subzones of Central Otago?
Wanaka Gibbston Cromwell Basin Bannockburn Bendigo Alexandra Basin