Often unfairly lumped together with Australia as the
'Antipodes', or worse 'Australasia', New Zealand's finely-tuned wine
industry might only be 13% the size of its neighbour (22,000 ha plays 165,000ha
in 2006) but what it lacks in girth, it certainly makes up for in wine
quality.
Indeed it continues to command the highest average price across UK
supermarkets, New Zealand's single biggest market after its own. And to protect
this integrity the industry took the bold decision of adopting the Stelvin
screwcap closure, almost unanimously, in 2001, a step that has only
consolidated consumer confidence.
While the country's viticultural heritage dates back to Englishman James
Busby making wine in the North Island circa 1840, it wasn't until 1973 that New
Zealand winemaking took the giant step forward by planting Sauvignon Blanc
vines on Marlborough's Wairau Valley. Up till
then the nascent New Zealand wine industry was initially focused on the North
Island, particularly around Hawkes Bay and Gisborne. However
here the humid climate and fertile soils were essentially unsuitable for
premium white wine production.
So the brisk maritime climate, constantly refreshed by Antarctic
south-easterlies, long sunshine hours and free draining soils of South Island's
Marlborough provided the perfect creche for
the country's future star: Sauvignon Blanc. And
within fifteen years, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc had surpassed its
older-established North Island competitors. Assisted by techonological advances
in refridgeration New Zealand was soon exporting its brand of new world
Sauvignon Blanc.
It wasn't long before the industry sought to replicate this success with a
red varietal. Pinot
Noir, planted initially as a blending component of the country's
sparkling wine industry (based in Marlborough), found its way to Central Otago during the 1980s. Where, despite being
the world's most southerly vineyard, the surrounding Southern Alps created a
continental mesoclimate benign enough to enable Pinot Noir to take root. The
region is now producing world class examples.
Free draining ancient river beds are still the basis of most New Zealand
vineyards, facilitating mechanisation. However as the industry evolves, and
space runs out, vineyard owners are being forced to the hills; ironically the
source of superior fruit.
Consequently some of the best sites are only just being discovered:
the Southern Valleys sub-region of Marlborough; Martinborough's limestone
terraces; N.Otago's Waitaki Valley with
its limestone escarpment. Little surprise then that the New Zealand industry is
in the process of formally identifying particular terroirs and delineating
sub-regions (Hawke's Bay and Central.Otago complete, Marlborough to
follow).
Other varieties and regions to be aware of include the meteoric rise of
Pinot Gris plantings (especially in the South Island), and sales to the
Australian and Californian markets; Hawke's
Bay's recent success with Syrah (made in a cool black
pepper Northern Rhone style) alongside that of its Cabernet Sauvignon blends; Riesling's continued
love-affair with parts of Nelson and Central Otago;
the appearance of some exceptional Pinot Noirs from the South Island's east
coast, notably North.Otago and Waipara.
In 2006 Sauvignon Blanc accounted for 40% of New Zealand vineyards
(Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, Nelson, Martinborough);
Pinot Noir 18% (Marlborough, Central.Otago, Martinborough, Nelson);
Chardonnay 16.5% (Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough);
Merlot 6.5% (Hawke's Bay); Riesling 3.8% (Marlborough, Nelson, Central.Otago);
Pinot Gris 3.5% (Central Otago); Cabernet
Sauvignon 2.5% (Hawke's
Bay).
Others include Gewurztraminer, Syrah, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec.
