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New Zealand is a wine-producing country.
While New Zealand represents less than 0.3% of the world's wine production, "Kiwi" vintners have successfully developed a style of their own. Their wines offer a wide range of tastes, thanks to the diverse climates found around the islands.
New Zealand is best known for its white wines. The king varietal here is Sauvignon Blanc. This grape seems to thrive like nowhere else, offering many different expressions, from dry peppery aromas to tropical fruity notes.
The number of New Zealand wineries has tripled in the last ten years, helped by foreign investors attracted by the untapped winegrowing potential of many parts of the country.
edit Facts and figures
- Red varietals: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah
- White varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling
- Planted area: 24,660 hectares in 2007, growing steadily year after year
- Wine production is steadily growing from year to year, now reaching 150 million liters.
- The number of wineries has tripled in the last ten years.
- While smaller than its southern sister, North Island produces nearly half of total national wine output.
edit History
Vines were brought to these islands in the late 19th century, starting in the Auckland region. The first commercial production started in 1875 in Auntsfield, in the Marlborough wine region -- which seriously started to develop 100 years later.
New Zealand wines have long been overshadowed by Australian wines, and it was not before the 1970s that they started to build internation recognition.
During the 1980s, a mix of market liberalization and government programs helped New Zealand vintners explore new territories -- both geographic and aromatic. Their initiatives were largely successful, if the rate of new winery openings around the country is any proof.
edit Geography
New Zealand is composed of two major islands, respectively named North Island and South Island.
Most of the wine country is located between latitudes 36 and 45, over a distance of 1000 miles. In the northern hemisphere, this area could be compared to the wine region ranging from Bordeaux to the southern tip of Spain.
Wine growing is mostly active along coastal areas, within 100 km of the ocean.
New Zealand offers a wide diversity of winegrowing environments, from its dense forests to its many hills - which reflects in the diversity of its wines.
A good illustration of New Zealand geographic diversity is the harvesting of Chardonnay: while the grape is harvested in late February in northernmost wine regions, it is often harvested 4 to 6 weeks later in the South.
edit Climate
While the oceanic influence tends to normalize climate along the coasts, there are important climate variations from one wine region to another, ranging from the Mediterranean climate of the North to the Germany-like cool climate of the South.
edit Viticulture
Besides Sauvignon Blanc, the white king of New Zealand, Chardonnay has been showing more and more successful results in recent years.
edit See also
- http://www.nzwine.com/ -- Official site for the NZ wine industry
