NZ Flashcards
What is The South Islands Northernmost island?
Nelson
New Zealand South Island Regions
Nelson
Marlborough
Canterbury
Central Otago
New Zealand North Island Regions
Northland Auckland Waikato/Bay of Plenty Gisborne Hawkes Bay Wellington (Wairarapa)
The first record of actual wine production dates to the late 1830s, when ___, a British minister involved in early viticultural efforts in New South Wales
James Busby
Where did Busby originally plant?
He planted a small vineyard from French and Spanish cuttings at his estate in Northland
Beer production outpaced wine; however, and near the turn of the century the Department of Agriculture charged __, an Austrian viticulturist from Victoria, with the task of studying the nation’s vineyards and combating its newest scourge: phylloxera.
Romeo Bragato
Besides trying to combat phylloxera, what else did Romeo Bragato accomplish?
Bragato identified many of New Zealand’s modern wine regions (with the important exception of Marlborough) and educated growers on the merits of grafting vines onto disease-resistant American rootstock.
Why was the Dept of Viticulture disbanded in 1909?
Unfortunately, a simmering temperance movement in the country stymied this promising start to the 20th century, and the Department of Agriculture’s Viticultural Division was disbanded in 1909.
Explain NZ winemaking in terms of how economical they are, and how that compares to Australia and the rest of the world?
As in Australia, mechanical harvesting is common—a consistently cheap source of manual labor is difficult to find in the sparsely populated country. Unlike Australia, with its huge irrigated agricultural zones, New Zealand has little land to spare; thus, modern bulk wine production is not economically feasible—there is no New Zealand equivalent to California’s Central Valley or Australia’s Riverland. Producers overall have concentrated on higher price points in the global wine market. In fact, New Zealand wine on average commands a higher price per bottle than any other country in the world. However, this position is threatened by the recent release and influx of cheaper Sauvignon Blanc wines, especially in the British market—an unfortunate turn of events for the country’s serious producers, who have worked so hard collectively to craft the modern image of premium New Zealand wines.
What kind of terrain has most of NZs vineyards?
New Zealand’s vineyards are typically planted on flat expanses and most are located within twenty miles of the eastern coastline.
What is NZ Winegrowers?
All New Zealand producers and growers belong to New Zealand Winegrowers, an organization formed in 2002 as a joint initiative of the Grape Growers Council and the New Zealand Wine Institute. New Zealand Winegrowers promotes and presents a unified face for New Zealand wine, building on the past successes of its parent organizations. Undoubtedly, the organization will greatly influence the structure and codification of New Zealand’s emerging appellation system.
What is The Screwcap Initiative?
an international association committed to using the closure—even on ultra-premium bottlings. Although both Swiss and Australian wineries were using the closure prior to its widespread adoption in New Zealand, the screwcap has become synonymous with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and the runaway success of the wine simultaneously raised public acceptance of the closure.
Who was the 1st to botlle with a screwcap in NZ?
Kim Crawford
Today over __% of the country’s wines are finished with the screwcap closure.
85%
What is “Six o’clock swill”?
“Six o’clock swill”, an early closing hour for pubs instituted in both Australia and New Zealand during World War I, lasted until 1967 on the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The early closing time of six o’clock was a move by anti-alcohol forces in the country to return men to their wives at a respectable hour, and those in the business of selling alcohol capitulated, preferring such a restriction to outright prohibition.
What struggles prohibited growth in fine wines in NZ in the 20th century?
amongst prohibition/temperance fears, growers planted low quality fruit that could be sold as table grapes.
many of these lower quality grapes were hybrids and thus immune to the ravages of phylloxera—Bragato’s recommendations lay forgotten in a climate of hysteria.
In 1960, “____” was New Zealand’s most planted varietal. Depression hampered sales in the 1930s, and cheap imported wines were readily available.
1960, “Albany Surprise” was New Zealand’s most planted varietal. Depression hampered sales in the 1930s, and cheap imported wines were readily available.
when did exponential growth of NZ wineries and vineyards occur?
From 1960 to 2008, New Zealand’s vineyard acreage increased exponentially, from approximately 400 ha to over 29,000 ha. A total of approximately 100 wineries in the mid-1980s ballooned to over 600 wineries in the country today.
New Zealand wines must contain a minimum __% of a stated varietal or vintage. This minimum will extend to the statement of region on the label, once such regions are legally defined.
85
How is labeling by vintage/varietal viewed? What viticulture practices are prohibited?
Declaration of vintage and varietal is optional. Winemaking and viticultural choices are, in general, left to the winemaker’s discretion; as in other New World countries, there are no laws governing enrichment, acidification, pruning, yields, or irrigation techniques.
What is Montana?
New Zealand’s largest winemaking company, established Marlborough’s first commercial vineyard in 1973, released the country’s first varietal wine (Gisborne Chardonnay), and produced one of the first Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wines in 1979
What winery put Marlborough Sauv Blanc on the map?
Cloudy Bay Vineyards, launched in 1985, put the region on the map.
Describe Marlborough SB?
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was something utterly upfront, piercing and pungent; highly intense aromas of passion fruit, jalapeño, ripe grapefruit, and grass filled out Sauvignon Blanc’s racy structure, and the wine became an international sensation.
Put these in order of greatest to least acerage Riesling Pinot Noir Chardonnay Gewürztraminer Pinot Gris Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Gewürztraminer
