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THE WINES OF NEW ZEALAND: A 2010 Review
Post #19 | 8-21-10
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Mention New Zealand when speaking of wine these days and what comes to mind? For many it is the Marlborough region with it's amazing sauvignon blancs which many consider to be the best in the world. Or maybe it's the refreshingly direct and unassuming way wine can be presented and enjoyed there while still possessing an independent sophistication and style all it's own. Maybe it's the beautiful unspoiled landscapes or even the recognition of so many great wines increasingly coming from "down under" in general recently.
There's no doubt that New Zealand has become a player of substance and quality when speaking of wine, it's become one of the most exciting new wine regions in the world. It's story is an interesting journey going back way before it's rapid growth in the 1970's. Today we'll be taking a look at what this country is now able to offer when speaking of wine, the challeges it faces, and the evolution of the industry as it moves forward.
New Zealand now has ten main wine growing regions scatted throughout the country, with each having their own variety in climate and environment. The main winery regions are Northland, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Auckland, Walkato, and Wairarapa on the north island, with Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury/Waipara Valley, and Central Otago to be found on the south island. An understanding of what makes the wines of New Zealand unique begins with a look at geography and climate and how they interract and shape each vintage.
Climate and Soil
Mother Nature seems to have blessed New Zealand with everything that is so crucial in creating great wine – rich soil, abundance of rainfall, sunshine, and natural bays, which protect the vineyards from strong winds.
New Zealand's temperate, maritime climate has a strong influence on the country's predominantly coastal vineyards, the sea in large part controls the climate creating cooler winters and hotter summers. The vines are warmed by strong, clear sunlight during the day and cooled at night by sea breezes. This all helps in creating slow ripening environments, helping to retain or lock in the vibrant varietal flavours that make New Zealand wine so distinctive. The long and steady growing season in which the grapes can ripen then develop a natural balance of acids and sugars.
Also most of New Zealand’s vineyards are located in free draining alluvial valleys. These deposits make up most of New Zealand’s mountains and also help to create the different quality characteristics in the wine, and these are often mentioned on the wine label.
These are some of the factors that together then help to bring out the flavors and intensity that, New Zealand Sauvignon blancs for example, are noted for. For instance, Waipara in the South Island and Martinborough, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay in the North Island have been attracting attention for their Sauvignon Blanc releases, which often exhibit subtle differences to those from Marlborough (Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2000-2006). The asparagus, gooseberry and green flavor commonly associated with New Zealand Sauvignon blanc is derived from flavor compounds known as methoxypyrazines that becomes more pronounced and concentrated in wines from cooler climate regions. Riper flavors such as passion fruit, along with other notes such as boxwood, may be driven by thiol concentrations.
ORIGINS OF NEW ZEALAND VITICULTURE | A Quick Look
New Zealand's early experiments into viticulture indeed look humble compared to the staggering advances of recent decades. The origins can be traced back to the missionaries who came there in the early 19th century, and among them a priest named Semuel Marsden. Semuel Marsden, reportably, founded the first group of New Zealand’s vineyards in Northland near Kerikeri in 1819.
Two pioneers following Marsden each took development of wine in the country further. The first would be British Resident and keen oenologist James Busby. Busby is widely regarded as the "father" of the Australian wine industry, as he took the first collection of vine stock from Spain and France (after studying viticulture there) to Australia. In March 1832 he was appointed to the position of British Resident of New Zealand and went to the Bay of Islands, taking with him some of the vine stock he had collected in Europe. It was as early as 1836 that he vinified New Zealand's first wine at Waitangi, within 10km of Marsden's original property at Kerikeri.
Romeo Bragato is a man who arrived on New Zealand shores on February 19, 1895. Fresh from Italy with his Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology in hand, the then New Zealand Government escorted Romeo Bragato from one end of the country to the other to visit and advise on the local vineyards. Bragato's work identified the varieties to plant, the Phylloxera resistant rootstocks to graft them to, the regions in which to plant vines, the varieties suitable to each region, vineyard layout, pruning methods and much more. Regrettably his work was not acted on and lay forgotten for over 60 years in a period of time that could be considered the "dark ages" for wine in the country.
Growth was held back for a long period after this due to various economic, legislative and cultural reasons; including prohibition. It wasn't until the late 60's to early 70's that these reasons ceased to exist with changes sweeping throughout the country, finally making room for wine's growth once more. What was always there began to be rediscovered and development began once again.
Dusted off by a few pioneers in the 1970s and early 1980s, many of the recommendations of Romeo Bragato form the basis of modern New Zealand viticulture practices in this era of new and rapid growth.
New Zealand's early experiments into viticulture indeed look humble compared to the staggering advances of recent decades. The origins can be traced back to the missionaries who came there in the early 19th century, and among them a priest named Semuel Marsden. Semuel Marsden, reportably, founded the first group of New Zealand’s vineyards in Northland near Kerikeri in 1819.
Two pioneers following Marsden each took development of wine in the country further. The first would be British Resident and keen oenologist James Busby. Busby is widely regarded as the "father" of the Australian wine industry, as he took the first collection of vine stock from Spain and France (after studying viticulture there) to Australia. In March 1832 he was appointed to the position of British Resident of New Zealand and went to the Bay of Islands, taking with him some of the vine stock he had collected in Europe. It was as early as 1836 that he vinified New Zealand's first wine at Waitangi, within 10km of Marsden's original property at Kerikeri.
Romeo Bragato is a man who arrived on New Zealand shores on February 19, 1895. Fresh from Italy with his Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology in hand, the then New Zealand Government escorted Romeo Bragato from one end of the country to the other to visit and advise on the local vineyards. Bragato's work identified the varieties to plant, the Phylloxera resistant rootstocks to graft them to, the regions in which to plant vines, the varieties suitable to each region, vineyard layout, pruning methods and much more. Regrettably his work was not acted on and lay forgotten for over 60 years in a period of time that could be considered the "dark ages" for wine in the country.
Growth was held back for a long period after this due to various economic, legislative and cultural reasons; including prohibition. It wasn't until the late 60's to early 70's that these reasons ceased to exist with changes sweeping throughout the country, finally making room for wine's growth once more. What was always there began to be rediscovered and development began once again.
Dusted off by a few pioneers in the 1970s and early 1980s, many of the recommendations of Romeo Bragato form the basis of modern New Zealand viticulture practices in this era of new and rapid growth.
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