WSET D3 - New Zealand Flashcards
Summarise New Zealand wine industry.
- Mainly cool, maritime climate, able to produce refreshing, strongly varietal white wines. created a unique style of SB that envied and copied since its introduction.
- Benefiting from latitudes (36°–46°S) and high sunshine hours, range of reds, high acidity PN to full-bodied Bordeaux blends.
- First vine planted 1819 by Samuel Marsden, first wine making recorded by James Busby in 1840. However, an influx of immigrants from UK, with their beer and whisky culture, also to a temperance movement restrictive laws on wine sales, growth inhibited until early 1960s, with supermarkets only permitted to sell wine after Sale of Liquor Act 1989 had been passed.
- First half 20th century, most wines made fortified style and called ‘Port’ or ‘Sherry’ as there was little demand locally for dry table wines. Yet other immigrants from Europe, most Croatia, established vineyards in West Auckland and Hawke’s Bay started to produce table wines. However, more affordable overseas travel, greater interest in dining out and increased coverage of food and drink in print and on television prompted growing appreciation.
- With a long-standing dairy industry supporting country’s manufacture and export of butter and cheese, very high standards of hygiene and usage of temperature control were second nature to farmers moving into wine production and were fundamental to delivering clean, consistent and reliable wines.
What’s the climate like here?
North and South, separated by Cook Strait. Cool Pacific Ocean moderates otherwise a warm area (Rome and Marlborough same distance from equator).
Most regions maritime climate. exception is Central Otago, sheltered from ocean influence by mountains on all sides, semi continental climate.
36°–46°S, topography leads to variations in climate on different parts of islands. cool climate found in most South Island, lower latitudes of North Island mean some regions (eg, Auckland and Gisborne) have moderate climates.
Vineyards predominantly on east of islands. Southern Alps run length of South Island protect vineyards from excessive rains and prevailing winds blow from Tasman Sea. Though mountains mitigate rainfall, Marlborough still receives around 650 mm.
High UV radiation, long hours sunlight and large diurnal range. This is due to hole in the ozone layer also due to very low air pollution. This high UV can enhance development of colours and tannins, desirable in black varieties. In more southerly latitudes extended daylight hours also important for increasing viable ripening period, making grape growing possible where it would otherwise too cool. South Island subject tolarge diurnal range, helps preserve acidity in grapes.
What’s the growing environment like?
High rainfall, high UV, sunshine hours exceeding 2,000 hours per year, relatively fertile soils, canopy management important for high quality fruit (excessive vegetative growth, shading of the fruit, reduction in both yield and quality).
Sufficient rainfall, plentiful sunshine and high nutrient levels mean that yield per vine can be high.
Despite low planting densities (2,000–2,500 vines/ha). Overall yield is quite high (around 70hl/ha). Machine harvesting is commonplace as many are planted on flat land.
What’s the training system used here?
Generally trained and trellised using VSP with two canes. Some large volume producers may use complex trellising systems that have as many as four canes per vine (eg, Scott-Henry), but high yields can be an issue for ripening in the coolest years. Height of the fruiting zone is relatively high compared to many European cool climate regions. High sunlight hour means vines do not need reflected solar energy from the ground; higher fruiting zones make harvesting by hand easier.
What are the main hazards here?
- High rainfall - humidity and fungal diseases, especially warmer North Island. Despite high rainfall, irrigation may practised in some areas due to free draining alluvial soils, and strong winds that increase evapotranspiration.
- Different bird species thrive (very few predators) - substantial damage in vineyards; eating grapes damaging bunches so bacterial and fungal diseases can infect fruit. Netting (adding to cost), also bird scarers.
- Windbreaks of trees may planted to reduce winds but can exacerbate problems with birds.
- Sunburn (high UV levels) leaf positioning is critical in providing shade.
- Exposed position in South Pacific means unsettled weather such as tropical cyclones can cause problems during flowering and fruit set also harvest, potential to reduce yields and negative impact fruit quality.
Is sustainable viticulture widely practised in NZ?
Yes. Almost all producers are part of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand initiative, includes an independently-audited certification programme focused on number of environmental, social and economic parameters.
A growing interest in organic viticulture, less than 5% vineyards certified organic. Some choose to embrace biodynamics as sustainable model.
What are the top varieties planted in NZ?
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Noir
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris
Merlot
Riesling
Syrah
Cabernet Sauvignon
Gewurztraminer
How’s wine making like in NZ?
SB dominates (62% vineyard area).
Best known for fresh, fruity varietal wines, increasingly producing wide variety styles. No GI-specific winemaking regulations, experimentation with different winemaking techniques to create new styles is common.
Pronounced style of SB typically made with low fermentation temperatures in neutral vessel, usually stainless steel, to retain primary fruit. Cultured yeasts used to help increase aromatics. Malo avoided to preserve high acidity prevent dairy notes. Oak fermentation maturation, extended lees contact also avoided in this case . Some may have to chaptalize at beginning of fermentation if cool year or when harvested early. Ascorbic acid, an antioxidant, and SO2 may also be used to ensure freshness after bottling.
However, increasing producers making SB with barrel fermentation, lees stirring, partial or full malo and oak maturation. Some also experimenting skin contact for white grapes, leaving small percentages in contact with skins for up to 2 months to add texture and aroma. It also apply to other white varieties.
For reds, mid-range fermentation temperatures, cultured yeasts and neutral vessels used to create high-volume reds. Premium Pinot Noir and Syrah experimenting with varying proportions whole bunches in fermentations (give herbal or floral note). Cold maceration before fermentation is also commonplace, particularly with Pinot Noir, to extract more colour and aromas. Premium reds tend matured in barriques, particularly for full-bodied CS and Merlot based styles, whereas larger oak vessels increasingly used for Pinot Noir.
Whites made in full range sweetness. For sweet wines, noble rot is sought-after for premium Semillon and Riesling but some also using long hang times in vineyard. Fermentation may stop on its own or be halted by winemaker, using SO2 and filtration, to leave some residual sugar.
Summarise the production of Marlborough style Sauvignon Blanc.
In the vineyard:
* High light levels, adequate water with irrigation as required, careful canopy management ensure ripe fruit
* High diurnal range - long growing season - intense aromas high acidity
* Row orientation and careful canopy management - range of aromas desired – fully ripe fruit with tropical flavours on sunny side, higher green pepper and grassy (herbaceous) from shadier side.
* Slightly early picking if proportion herbaceous aromas required in blend
* Mechanically harvested fruit creates some skin contact from crushed berries during transportation leading to higher herbaceous aromas
In winery:
* Reduction of contact with oxygen during processing fruit by refrigerating fruit to preserve primary fruit
* Choice of selected yeast to promote aromatic intensity
* Low fermentation temperature in stainless steel vessels to retain primary fruit
* Avoidance of malo to preserve high acidity and primary fruit
* Minimal on lees (2–3 months) and in stainless steel vessels to retain primary fruit
* Use of ascorbic acid and SO2 at bottling, and bottling under screwcap to retain freshness
How is majority of the wine sealed?
Screw cap (even outstanding and premium wines). Partially due to when TCA levels in cork were high but also incidence of premature oxidation and bottle variation. Number of producers switched to screw cap and founded New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative in 2001. Consumer acceptance of screwcap, even for premium wines, is well established in NZ and some key export markets (UK).
Summarise Greater Auckland (North Island).
3 sub-regions - Waiheke Island, West Auckland and Matakana. moderate maritime climate, high humidity, fungal diseases can be an issue.
1. Waiheke Island - specialises reds based on Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah. The island is slightly warmer and surrounding water leads to relatively low diurnal range, helping mid- to late ripening black varieties to ripen fully. The undulating allowed best producers find sheltered positions protects from onshore winds. Wines made in M to full bodied, black fruited style with hints of oak spice, and can be outstanding. Due to expansion and proximity to Auckland, land prices are rising. This, paired with expense of transportation to island, means generally premium in price. Significant producers - Man O’ War and Stonyridge.
2. Some still have vineyards in West Auckland, most well-known being Kumeu River, but high cost of land in Auckland area and increasing urbanisation means vineyard area is unlikely to expand and will probably decrease. Some wineries have cellar doors but source most fruit from other regions (Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay), due to high land prices.
3. Further to north, Matakana produces wines from range of varieties mainly sell to strong local tourist trade.
Summarise Gisborne (North Island).
Eastern tip North Island, once largest region of production. majority vines situated on flat, fertile floodplain consisting of clay, loam and silt. Chardonnay more than 50% all plantings. Mixture of boutique and high-volume producers, with highest quality from hillsides where soils are poorer.
Moderate maritime with high hours sunshine and warming breezes from north mean few issues with frost and is one of first regions to harvest. High precipitation (1,000 mm) mean less need for irrigations. However, paired with fertile soils, means devigorating rootstocks and precise canopy management needed to prevent excessive growth of canopy. With high chance of grarain falling during harvest, monitoring weather forecasts and picking at right time is crucial to avoid dilution or rot.
Chardonnay – range from inexpensive, simple, fruity, unoaked style to premium, outstanding quality, full- bodied, barrel-fermented styles with ripe stone fruit, creamy flavours and medium to medium (+) acidity.
Pinot Gris – second most planted grape, from dry to medium-dry. Made in different styles from simple, inexpensive, fruity to good quality ones attract premium price, often benefitted from lees stirring and old oak maturation.
Gisborne produces smaller quantities other white varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Viognier. Black varieties account for a low proportion with Merlot most planted. Significant producers: Lindauer
Summarise Hawke’s Bay (North Island).
Oldest region and second largest in production. The moderate maritime climate is similar to Bordeaux, with typically 2,180 sunshine hours and 1,000 mm rainfall. Paired with gravelly, alluvial soils similar in Médoc, have led to Bordeaux-inspired, Merlot-dominant blends. Very small amounts Cabernet Sauvignon are grown as it has struggled to ripen in cooler years but quality of fruit in warm years,
Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa are two best-known sub-regions. Their inland location means relatively warm days. However, with little moderating influence from coast, frost can be an issue. Both located on alluvial terraces with gravelly soils. stony topsoil of Gimblett Gravels in particular becomes very warm during the day and releases heat into evening, helping Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen. The free-draining nature means even high rainfall, irrigation is necessary. Bridge Pa has deeper topsoil of sandy and clay loam aiding water retention and limiting need for irrigation.
Areas close to coast moderating Pacific breezes cool daytime temperatures lead to slower ripening and fresher Chardonnay and Syrah.
Bordeaux varieties and blends – Merlot, dominant variety, range of styles. Simple, fruity, inexpensive made with little oak whereas outstanding, premium-wines, usually Bordeaux-styled blends with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc contributing, are more concentrated and usually matured in French barrels for 12–18 months.
Deeply coloured, very good quality perfumed Malbec is also becoming popular in both blends and as single varietal, attracting premium prices
Syrah – Hawke’s Bay is home to 75% Syrah in New Zealand even so quantity is tiny. Concentrated ripe blackberry and a black pepper spice or floral character, M to M (+) body and M (+) acidity. Tend matured in French oak with proportion new barrels typically 12–18 months. Best are outstanding and premium priced.
Chardonnay – range of styles from relatively simple for early drinking, to premium with restrained grapefruit and white stone fruit and often noticeable struck match character from reductive sulfur compounds. Typically M to full bodied withM acidity. Barrel fermentation commonly practised especially in premium wines. Chardonnay grown by coast tends to be higher acidity with lower alcohol and citrus fruit character. good to outstanding and premium.
Also sizeable plantings of SB, and to lesser extent, Pinot Gris. Significant producers - Craggy Range and Te Mata Estate.
Summarise Wairarapa (North Island).
Most southerly of North Island and focuses on premium wines, 3% total area under vine, only 1% volume, indicates low yielding vines.
Wine tourism flourishes as only one- hour drive from capital city Wellington. The 3 sub-regions now collectively known as Wellington Wine Country, Masterton, Gladstone, and Martinborough (most renowned), all 3 produce intensely flavoured, elegant Pinot Noir, and perfumed but not overtly herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc.
Cool maritime climate. Although days in summer can be warm, diurnal range is large, slows ripening and helps retain acidity. Low yields caused by strong winds coming directly from Cook Strait during flowering and fruit set. grapes tend to be small with thick skins, so resulting style has higher fine-grained tannins than other regions. Sauvignon Blanc also lower yielding increasing cost of production. Frosts negatively impact yields in some years, installation of wind machines improved this.
Range of soil types but most dominant is free-draining alluvial gravel terraces with silt loam and loess. The silt loam and loess are a cooling influence as take more time to warm up than rocky soils (slows ripening, elongates growing season), allowing more concentrated complex fruit flavours. Significant producers - Ata Rangi and Dry River.
Pinot Noir – More than half all plantings premium priced, very good to outstanding examples. M (+) acidity and red cherry and black plum flavours often some spicy notes. Low yields lead to intense concentration of fruit and M to M (+) tannins. Many matured in French oak barrels for 12–18 months. range of clones can be found. Abel clone, thought to have been propagated from a cutting taken from Domaine de la Romanée Conti, particularly suited to Martinborough’s climate. Flowers late hence misses some worst weather periods could reduce yields, also productive clone with large berries, however, Martinborough’s strong winds naturally restrict its yields. Dijon clones, such as 667 and 777 also common.
Sauvignon Blanc – premium priced often very good quality with some outstanding examples. Tend to show more restrained herbaceous and fruit notes than in Marlborough, though with similarly high acidity. Lower yields can create wines with more intensity. Some premium examples use wild yeast, partial barrel fermentation and extended lees contact to impart greater texture and complexity.
Summarise Marlborough (South Island).
largest region more than 2/3 all plantings. modern era began in 1973, when director of Montana Wines (now Brancott Estate) saw potential high quality wines and bought over 1,000 ha for turning into vineyards.
Marlborough’s climate, cheap land and, from 1980s, critical acclaim meant , wine industry grew rapidly. Maori name, Kei puta te Wairau, meaning ‘the place with the hole in the cloud’, is appropriate description of this very sunny region (2410 sunshine hours).
Climate is cool with moderately warm summers and mild winters. Protected from rainy weather by surrounding mountain ranges, annual precipitation 650 mm. Free-draining alluvial soils mean irrigation is important, with underground aquifers main source of water.
High sunshine with relatively dry growing season, allowing grapes on vine into autumn, leads to very intensely fruit. long, dry growing season means fungal disease is less than more humid North Island.
Machine harvesting common. mainly due to flat landscape, research shown machine harvesting promotes flavour precursors generate passionfruit and green bell pepper aromas that typical of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Research shown these can be 5–10 times higher compared to hand-harvested due to short maceration on skins.
Generally, grapevines planted in 2 main valleys, Wairau (largest) and Awatere, though newer vineyard plantings on slopes of Southern Valleys becoming more common as valley floor space is limited in Wairau and Awatere, and new irrigation systems implemented in Southern Valleys.
Wairau runs from westernmost edges along Wairau River to mouth of Cloudy Bay at eastern end. Climatic influences differ slightly along valley, western inland end less moderating influence from ocean, hence warmer days and cooler nights (greater diurnal), also greater risk of frost. Wairau Valley is a former riverbed providing combination of gravel, silt, sand, loam and clay soils vary in composition according to site. Soils more fertile and water table higher nearer coast, meaning naturally produce higher yields than further inland. These free draining soils require irrigation, but also provide warmth needed to extend growing season, allowing intense aromas and flavours build up. SB most planted and depending on soil and site vary from tropical passionfruit to grassy, herbaceous. PN, Chardonnay and PG also widely planted.
Southern Valleys is collective name for number of north-south running valleys, located south of Wairau, with vineyards planted on surrounding hillsides. Soils more clay, retain water and has a cooling influence. slows ripening and harvesting time (up to 2 weeks later than Wairau). Pinot Noir therefore thrives, as it needs long season to develop pronounced aromatics, tannins and flavours can ripen without risking very high sugar, and hence alcohol.
To south of Wairau, over Wither Hills, lies Awatere, cooler and windier due to proximity to coast and higher elevation. Harvest is later than rest of Marlborough. SB generally more herbaceous and less tropical with very high acidity. Due to windy weather, Awatere PN have smaller berries with thicker skins, more deeply coloured.
Following wine styles are made:
SB – Over 70% plantings. most typical and best-known style is dry with high acidity, intensely aromatic with mixture herbaceous, floral and tropical fruit, particularly passionfruit. Good to very good, inexpensive to mid-priced, though premium examples. Producers may blend from different sub-regions or vineyard sites. Blending may also necessary for high volume producers. generally cool fermentation and cultured yeasts, preventing malo and not using oak in maturation. Producers also experimenting ambient yeasts, partial barrel fermentation and lees stirring to create more complex, highly textured examples very good to outstanding and premium priced. Some focusing on more site-specific expressions.
Pinot Noir – 10% plantings, becoming more popular as quality fruit from Southern Valleys has been recognised. 3 main styles. 1.light-bodied, juicy red-fruited style, early drinking, tend to come from alluvial plains of Wairau valley, generally mid-priced. 2. On clay and loess slopes of Southern Valleys, more intense fruit, red cherry and plum, M to full body. tend to be matured in oak, very good to outstanding and premium priced.
3. from windier, cooler Awatere Valley tend to have thicker skins, leading to deeper coloured wines, can also have floral and herbal character. tend to be matured in oak, good to outstanding.
Chardonnay – range of styles. Can be unoaked, M-bodied with simple stone fruit and citrus fruit. good to very good and mid-priced, also outstanding complex examples intense stone fruit and citrus aromas as well as struck match and spicy oak notes of toast, very subtle dairy from malo and yeast notes from lees stirring (premium price).
Pinot Gris – Two main styles. Lighter-bodied with youthful fresh fruit and full-bodied with riper fruit sometimes barrel maturation. range from crisp semi-aromatic, easy drinking mid-priced to intense, ripe stone fruit with honeysuckle and spicy notes. The simpler, less intense versions range from dry to off- dry tend to fermented in stainless steel tanks at cool fermentation with a little lees contact. Good quality and mid-priced. The richer, more intense wines also range from dry to off-dry and tend to show ripe stone fruit, honeysuckle and spicy notes. range of techniques experimented including partial barrel fermentation, ambient yeasts, lees stirring and oak maturation.
There are also smaller plantings of aromatic varieties (Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Viognier). Significant producers - Villa Maria and Cloudy Bay.
