North Island

Question 1

What are the most planted white and red grapes in Hawkes Bay?

Answer 1

Red: Merlot is the leading red grape (1080 ha). Cab Sauv was worshipped in the 80’s, but even in Hawke’s Bay, did not always ripen fully. The plantings of the much more reliable, earlier-ripening Merlot flourished. Malbec and Syrah also thrive. Two in every three of the country’s Syrah vines are planted in Hawke’s Bay’s poor soils, ripening satisfactorily most years.

White: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. (1,006 ha and 937 ha, respectively)

Question 2

What are the most planted white and red grapes in Auckland?

Answer 2

Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Question 3

Where was the first commercially sold Sauvignon Blanc grown?

Answer 3

In Auckland in the Waikoukou Valley and not Marlborough.

Question 4

What is the smallest area of production in NZ?

Answer 4

Northland, in 2008 only 14 wineries were in operation. Less than 1% of the country’s total production.

Question 5

What are the most planted grapes in Gisborne?

Answer 5

Overwhelmingly white grapes on relatively fertile loamy soils. Red grapes struggle to ripen in cool climate.

-Generally picked two to three weeks before Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough.

Chardonnay has replaced Müller-Thurgau as the region’s most planted grape. Gewürztraminer also performs well in the region, but red grapes simply struggle to ripen in the cool climate.

Question 6

What soil is Gimblett Gravels known for?

Answer 6

Deep shingle soils. (Small pebbles/gravel)

• rapidly establishing a reputation as a source of good Syrah and Bordeaux-style blends.
• Gimblett Road now runs, northwest of Hastings, along what was the course of the Ngaruroro River until a dramatic flood in 1870.

Question 7

What must a producer do to use “Gimblett Gravels” or “Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District” on a label?

Answer 7

• Be a member of the Association
• Harvest grapes from a vineyard with 95% of the appellation’s defined soil characteristics
• Source 95% of the grapes from within the appellation
• Any producer using the “Gimblett Gravels” logo is subject to audit

Question 8

What region is the fourth largest producers in New Zealand?

Answer 8

Gisborne

• attempting to covercome its past reputation of carafe wines and lower quality.
• JANCIS- 1. Marlborough 2. Hawke’s bay. No longer 3 as guildsomm says, now 4th, having been overtaken by Otago.

Question 9

What are the soils of Martinborough?

Answer 9

Prized soils are shallow silt loams with gravelly sub-soils.

Question 10

Name three major producers for Martinborough Pinot Noir.

Answer 10

Ata Rangi
Martinborough Vineyard
Dry River

-all established in the early 1980’s

Question 11

Name two of the unofficial subregions of Auckland?

Answer 11

• Waiheke Island
• Kumeu/Huapai
• Matakana/Mahurangi

Henderson

South Auckland

• known for premium red blends and varietal wines.

Question 12

What region is Wairarapa officially named?

Answer 12

Wellington (the capital of New Zealand)

Wairarapa is the southernmost region on the North Island. The entire region is officially named Wellington—it includes New Zealand’s capital city—but Wairarapa is the only wine district in the region.

Question 13

What subregion of Wairarapa has shown particular success with Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc?

Answer 13

Martinborough

Question 14

Among Auckland’s unofficial subregions, which enjoys a singularly sunny, dry climate? Where is it located?

Answer 14

The hilly Waiheke Island enjoys a singularly sunny, dry climate, especially on its lower western side, where many of the region’s wineries are clustered.

Waiheke Island is in the Hauraki Gulf east of Auckland.

Question 15

What is the climate of Northland, Auckland, and Waikato/Bay of Plenty? What are the chief viticultural hazards?

Answer 15

Rainy maritime climate; rot and frost are among the chief viticultural hazards.

(Jancis says Auckland is sub-tropical??? What’s the difference between sub-tropical and maritime or is one a subset of another?)

Question 16

What are the major wine regions of the North Island? (6)

Answer 16

Northland (less than 1% of NZ production)
Auckland (2% of NZ production)
Waikato/Bay of Plenty (less than 1% of NZ production)
Gisborne
Hawkes Bay
Wairarapa

Question 17

What is the center of wine business in NZ?

Answer 17

Auckland.

Both Montana (now under the Pernod Ricard NZ umbrella) and Villa Maria are headquartered here

Question 18

What river runs through Hawkes Bay an is responsible for the formation of Gimblett Gravels

Answer 18

Ngaruroro “Na-ga-roro” River. Exposed after a huge flood in the 1860.

Question 19

Name two of the unofficial subregions of Hawkes Bay?

Answer 19

Coastal Areas: Northern Esk Valley

Hillsides: Havelock North (limestone)

Alluvial Plains: Gimblett Gravels, Bridge Pa Triangle

River Valleys: Dartmoor Valley

Central Hawke’s Bay

Question 20

When was Gimblett Gravels first planted?

Answer 20

The region was first planted in red grapes in 1981, with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Prior to 1991, only 20ha of the region was planted in grapes – growing to over 200ha by 1997 with a further 400ha being planted since 1998

Question 21

Name two of the unofficial subzones of Gisborne.

Answer 21

• Ormond
• Manutuke “MAN-a-TUCK-ee”
• Golden Slope

Central Valley

Riverpoint

Patutahi

Waipaoa

Question 22

What is the second largest region in NZ?

Answer 22

Hawkes Bay. It is also the North Island’s driest climate. (although Wairarapa looks like it may be drier in the compendium; growing season rain fall is 15.3 for HB vs 15 for Wairarapa.)

Question 23

What region produces the most red wine in NZ?

Answer 23

Hawkes Bay

Question 24

What are the three subregions of Wairarapa

Answer 24

Martinborough
Masterson
Gladstone

Question 25

What regions is the bulk of North Island’s production concentrated?

Answer 25

The central and southern regions of Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, and Wairarapa

Question 26

What areas soils in New Zealand are establishing a reputation for good Syrah and Bordeaux-style blends?

Answer 26

Gimblett Gravels, a district in Hawkes Bay of deep shingle soils found in 800 ha (2000 acres). Appears on a number of labels as a trademarked brand. Same gravel can be found in Marlborough.

Question 27

What is Gisborne also known as?

Answer 27

Poverty Bay

Question 28

What region of NZ would you fine Pinotage?

Answer 28

Northland

Question 29

What NZ wine region is the first in the world to see the sun each day (furthest east)?

Answer 29

Gisborne/Poverty Bay on the North Island

Question 30

What soils are found in Hawkes Bay?

Answer 30

Known for poor soils (riper grapes) Greywacke gravel to heavy silt to sandy loam.

• Very different water-holding capacities; one vineyard can be a a saturation point, shooting forth vegetation at a furious rate, while another will perish if not irrigated.
• With the diversity of soils, the development of a large number of future subregions may be in order.

Question 31

What makes Wairarapa (namely Martinborough) the perfect climate for Pinot Noir?

Answer 31

• Cool climate, but mountains to the west allow Martinborough’s growing season to be quite dry.
• Martinborough also enjoys one of New Zealands’s greatest diurnal temperature variations.

Question 32

Name the NZ region for each unofficial subzone.

Waiheke Island 
Wanaka  
Wairau Valley 
Waipara  
Waimea Plains

Answer 32

Waiheke Island- Auckland
Wanaka-  Central Otago
Wairau Valley- Marlborough
Waipara- Canterbury
Waimea Plains- Nelson

Question 33

Name the biggest producer coming out of Waheke Island?

Answer 33

Man O’ War

Question 34

Notable producers of Hawkes Bay (8)

Answer 34

Bridge Pa
Craggy Range
Esk Valley Estate
Ngatarawa
Sacred Hill
Sileni
Te Mata
Trinity Hill

Question 35

Name two of the unofficial subregions of Northland

Answer 35

—Kerikeri
—Kaitaia
—Whangarei

Question 36

What is the largest city in NZ?

Answer 36

Auckland.