North Island Flashcards
Northland GI
- Island
- Subregions
- Size
- Grapes
- Soils
- Geographic Features
- Producers
Northland GI
- Island: North Island
- Subregions: Kerikeri, Kaitaia, Whangarei
- Total Hectares Under Vine: 67ha (The New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report 2017)
Major Grapes
- White: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris
- Red: Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage
- Soil Types: grey-brown, clay-rich loam sois, subsoils of compact clay, friable volcanic clays at Kerikeri
- Major Natural Features: Pacific Ocean (nowhere is the sea more than 50 km away)
- Major Producers: Karikari Estate, Okahu Estate, Marsden Estate
Northland GI
- Island
- Subregions
- Size
- Grapes
- Soils
- Geographic Features
- Producers
Northland GI
- Island: North Island
- Subregions: Kerikeri, Kaitaia, Whangarei
- Total Hectares Under Vine: 67ha (The New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report 2017)
Major Grapes
- White: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris
- Red: Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage
- Soil Types: grey-brown, clay-rich loam sois, subsoils of compact clay, friable volcanic clays at Kerikeri
- Major Natural Features: Pacific Ocean (nowhere is the sea more than 50 km away)
- Major Producers: Karikari Estate, Okahu Estate, Marsden Estate
Auckland GI
- Island
- Subregions
- Size
- Grapes
- Soil Types
- Geographic Features
- Producers
Auckland GI
- Island: North Island
Subregions:
- Kumeu GI
- Matakana GI
- Waiheke Island GI, South Auckland, West Auckland, Clevedon, Huapai, Henderson
- Total Hectares Under Vine (in production): 325 ha (New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report 2017)
Grapes
- Chardonnay: 62 ha
- Merlot: 43 ha
- Syrah: 40 ha
- Pinot Gris: 29 ha
- Soil Types: volcanic soils, layered sandstone and mudstone, heavy clays
- Major Natural Features: Pacific Ocean, Waitakere Ranges
- Major Producers: Constellation NZ (Nobilo, Monkey Bay, Kim Crawford), Kumeu River, Matua Valley, Babich, Pleasant Valley, Cable Bay, Stonyridge, Pernod Ricard NZ, Villa Maria
Gisborne GI
- Island
- Subregions
- Size
- Grapes
- Soil
- Geographic Features
- Producers
Gisborne GI
- Island: North Island
- Subregions: Hexton Hills (Golden Slope), Ormond, Ormond Valley, Manutuke, Central Valley, Riverpoint, Patutahi, Patutahi Plateau, Waipaoa
- Total Hectares Under Vine (in production): 1,371 ha (New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report 2017)
Grapes
- Chardonnay: 794 ha
- Pinot Gris: 338 ha
- Gewürztraminer: 109 ha
- Merlot: 71 ha
- Soil Types: fine alluvial silt near the Waipaoa River, heavier clay loam in the plains
- Major Natural Features: Waipaoa River, Poverty Bay, Raukumara Range
- Major Producers: Millton, Brunton Road
Wairarapa GI
- Island
- Subregions
- Size
- Grapes
- Soils
- Geographic Features
- Producers
Wairarapa GI
- Island: North Island
Subregions
- Pinot Noir: 465 ha
- Sauvignon Blanc: 316 ha
- Pinot Gris: 55 ha
- Soil Types: Martinborough’s prized soils are shallow silt loams with gravelly sub-soils
- Major Natural Features: Aorangi and Tararua Ranges, Ruamahanga River
- Major Producers: Ata Rangi, Dry River, Palliser Estate, Voss Estate
Waitaki North Otago/Waitaki Valley GI
- Island
- Size
- Grapes
- Soils
- Geographic Features
- Producers
Waitaki North Otago/Waitaki Valley GI
- Island: South Island
- Total Hectares Under Vine (in production): 41 ha (New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report 2017)
- Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc
- Soil Types: Waitakian limestone
- Major Natural Features: Waitaki River
- Major Producers: Ostler, Pasquale, River-T Estate Wines, Valli Vineyards
What is the historic home of Auckland?
West Auckland is the historic heart of the region, with the small town of Kumeu perhaps its most famous area
When was Waiheke island first planted?
The island’s first Vitis vinifera vines were planted in 1977, and many small hillside vineyards overlooking the waters of the Hauraki Gulf have since been planted across the island
How many producers are on Waiheke GI and who is the largest?
There are now around 25 wine producers, representing more than 200 hectares of vineyard. A single producer, Man O’ War, represents half of the island’s plantings, and its wines can be found in many export markets, but many wineries do not export.
What are the viticultural problems on Waiheke Island GI?
The island has a warm, maritime climate and a small diurnal temperature range. Late-ripening varieties including Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon can be successful here, when conditions permit. However, there are challenges of growing wine successfully on Waiheke. Wind can be an issue, and sheltered sites are required for late-ripening grapes to attain full maturity. In some years, drought affects the vines, and in other years, too much rainfall combined with the warm temperatures can lead to fungal disease pressure
What varieties are best suited to the three main areas of Auckland?
- West Auckland (Kumeu) - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
- Matakana - Bordeaux varieties were popular in the 1990s, although autumn rain poses an issue for ripening Cabernet Sauvignon in some seasons. As such, Syrah and certain Italian red grapes have increased in popularity. With so many varieties, it is difficult to make generalizations about wine styles
- Waiheke Island - Late-ripening varieties including Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon
What is most planted in Gisbourne?
What style of wine does Gisbourne mostly produce?
Chardonnay - over 50%
- Entry level and carbonated sparkling
What and where is the oldest winery on the north island?
Mission Estate
1851
Hawke’s Bay
- The wines were initially destined for sacramental use, but surplus was sold to the local community. By the end of the 19th century, viticulture had expanded beyond the religious order, with several important vineyards emerging, including Te Mata, which produces one of New Zealand’s most respected Bordeaux blends today
What helped to improve plantings in Hawke’s Bay in the 80s?
A government-sponsored vine pull saw the removal of 500 hectares of inferior vineyards, including many hybrids and Sherry-producing Palomino. This was also when the first vines were planted on the Gimblett Gravels, a former riverbed that is now home to some of the country’s most famous Syrahs and Bordeaux blends
Describe the climate of Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay specializes in mid- to late-ripening varieties due to its temperate maritime climate. The proximity of the Pacific Ocean—some vineyards sit within a literal stone’s throw from the water’s edge—ensures that temperatures remain moderate even at the height of summer, rarely exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Hawke’s Bay is closer to conditions in Bordeaux
- Hawke’s Bay enjoys an average growing season temperature of 16.3 degrees Celsius (61.3 degrees Fahrenheit), versus Bordeaux’s 16.5 degrees Celsius (61.7 degrees Fahrenheit). Likewise, the growing degree days are 1,334 versus 1,387.
- However, the climate in Hawke’s Bay can vary markedly depending upon location. The vineyards closest to the Pacific Ocean, such as those in the village of Te Awanga, benefit from the water’s cooling influence in summer, while later-ripening varieties struggle to reach full maturity
Where are white varieties best suited to grown in Hawke’s Bay?
Chardonnay is one of the most successful varieties closest to the coast, and Sauvignon Blanc can also grow well.
- The cooling sea breezes have less impact further inland, around the Gimblett Gravels and neighboring Bridge Pa Triangle.
- In the summer, afternoon temperatures can be around 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) higher in these inland vineyards than in their coastal counterparts.
- Grapes ripen earlier in the warmer areas—Chardonnay might be picked three weeks earlier in Gimblett Gravels than in Te Awanga.
- Further inland, hills rise up above the plains, and vines planted in locations such as the Crownthorpe Terraces and Dartmoor Valley benefit from the cooling influence of a small increase in altitude.
How did Gimlett Gravel’s get it’s signature soils?
The region’s geology resulted from an 1867 earthquake that changed the course of the Ngaruroro River, leaving behind gravel, silt, and loam
- Most of Hawke’s Bay’s vineyards are planted on the gravel-based alluvial soils of the Heretaunga Plains to the west of the city of Hastings. The soils are typically low in fertility and are free draining. The most renowned viticultural area of the plains is Gimblett Gravels, which was first planted in 1981 and now includes more than 800 hectares of vineyard
What is best suited for Gimlet Gravel’s?
Gimblett Gravels is home to some of New Zealand’s finest Bordeaux blends and Syrah - 90% of New Zealand’s Bordeaux plantings and 75% of the nation’s Syrah
- Due to its free-draining soils, vines cannot survive without daily irrigation.
- Luckily, aquifers underneath the deep gravel beds provide plentiful water.
- The soils are low in nutrients, and as a result, winemakers must be vigilant to avoid stuck ferments caused by a lack of nitrogen and to ensure that fermenting wines receive plenty of oxygen
When was Wairarapa first planted?
When Romeo Bragato completed his tour of New Zealand in 1895, he concluded that the Wairarapa, along with Hawke’s Bay, was best suited to growing grapevines. His verdict was no doubt influenced by the plantings of William Beetham and his wife, who established vines on their estate east of the town of Masterton in 1883. Despite promising results, prohibition in the area forced them to uproot their vines in 1908. It was another 70 years before Wairarapa regained momentum
What happened to 1978 to encourage viticulture in Wairarapa?
In 1978, government soil scientist Derek Milne conducted a survey of the soil and climate of the country and concluded that Martinborough, which is the most famous of Wairarapa’s subregions, was perfectly suited to growing grapes, in particular Pinot Noir. Several vineyards were established in the following years, including Dry River Wines, Martinborough Vineyard, and Ata Rangi.
Describe the climate of Wairarapa
Sitting at the southern tip of the North Island, it has a cool, windy climate, resulting in small berries and bunches. The climate is defined by the proximity of the ocean as well as the surrounding mountains, which provide protection from the rainfall that occurs in nearby areas. Wairarapa has a dry, sunny climate; a large diurnal temperature range; and high winds, particularly in springtime, which affect flowering and fruit set. There are marginal differences within Wairarapa. For example, the Martinborough GI is slightly drier, warmer, and windier than Gladstone and Masterton to the north.
Describe the soils of Wairarapa
Wairarapa’s vineyards lie on alluvial terraces created by the Ruamahanga River. Silty loams sit over free-draining gravels, which can be as deep as 15 meters in places. There are subtle differences in the different districts. Martinborough is further downstream and, as a result, the river gravels have broken down further, tending to be finer than those further upstream at Gladstone, which also has silt and loam. Limestone can be found among Masterton’s gravels
What is most planted in Wairarapa?
Describe the style
Pinot Noir - Over 50% of plantings
- The windy yet dry and sunny conditions lead to small, thick-skinned berries, producing wines that have deep color, abundant tannin (for Pinot), and savory nuances. The naturally low crop levels also provide depth and concentration. Further, cool conditions and a wide diurnal temperature range (a difference of 20 degrees Celsius, or 36 degrees Fahrenheit, between day and night is common in summer) ensure that fruit flavor and bright acidity are preserved even when full ripeness is attained
What is the most grown White grape in Wairarapa?
Describe the style
Sauvignon Blanc - 1/3rd of plantings
- Typically, the style is more restrained compared to Marlborough, which lies across the Cook Strait. Rather than overtly sweaty, tropical characters, Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc leans toward a more citrusy, grassy expression. The style is often concentrated, with firm but balanced acidity. While inert vessels are typically used to preserve the wine’s fruit purity and express terroir, it is common to find cuvées that have been wild fermented in barrel
