Category Archives: New Zealand

Wine regions of New Zealand: Gisborne

Gisborne is a valley in the northeastern corner of New Zealand’s North Island. Gisborne is a town located in the valley of the same name on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Gisborne is also called Eastland because it’s located literally just to the east of quite a few other places. To clarify, Gisborne isn’t an island—it’s a place that can be found on one. It’s also not a city or even exactly a region, but rather a district (which is basically like your average county). The volcanic soils and cool climate produce a distinctive range of wines.… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: Nelson

Nelson is the top wine region in New Zealand, but it is not exactly known for its fine wines. Nelson is New Zealand’s top wine region by volume, but it’s not exactly known for its fine wines. While the majority of the country’s prime vineyard land lies in the north of both islands and produces delicate vintages that attract connoisseurs and command top dollar, Nelson is almost at the bottom—making it one of NZ’s coldest regions. The grapes grown here are a mix of varieties from all over the world, including Australia (which is just across Cook Strait to the… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: North Canterbury

North Canterbury is part of the Marlborough wine region, located in the northwest of New Zealand. North Canterbury is part of the Marlborough wine region, located in the northwest of New Zealand. North Canterbury is south of the equator, but because it’s in the Southern Hemisphere, its winter falls in summer. Because New Zealand sits on two tectonic plates, it has an unusual climate that combines cool continental weather and a marine influence. The wine industry has taken advantage of this unique set-up to create crisp whites and well-balanced reds. Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine producer by far; it… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: Marlborough

Marlborough is the largest and richest of New Zealand’s top four premium wine regions, producing around 10 percent of the nation’s wine. Here you’ll find Marlborough, the country’s largest wine-growing region and one of the richest in premium wine, accounting for 10 percent of New Zealand’s annual wine production. It’s also famous for its Sauvignon Blanc wines (the majority of New Zealand’s production), which are typically more fruity, tropical and herbaceous than their French counterparts. Let your nose lead you to this region’s best spots: Wineries like Cloudy Bay and Villa Maria have a cult-like following from Pinot Noir fans… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: Wairarapa

Settled only relatively recently by Europeans, this coastal region has a strong maritime climate with warm temperatures. New Zealand’s Wairarapa region is relatively isolated, and it shows. Only recently settled by Europeans, the South Pacific coastal region benefits from a strong maritime climate that provides warm temperatures ideal for viticulture. The area is known for its Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay wines — particularly those produced in two of the region’s appellations, Martinborough and Gladstone. That said, the success of viticulture in the area has been a recent phenomenon; in fact, the first winery wasn’t established there until 1979.… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: Waitaki Valley

Location Located in the southernmost part of New Zealand’s South Island, Waitaki Valley is just a short drive from the city of Dunedin or even Christchurch. While you’re in the area, be sure to check out some of the nearby attractions. You can’t miss Moeraki Boulders, a collection of large, spherical stones that have washed up on Koekohe Beach. The stones are over 60 million years old, and their round shapes are reminiscent of eggs—which is fitting for a region known for producing egg-based pasta! If you’re planning to visit Waitaki Valley during your New Zealand excursion, it’s helpful to… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: Hawke’s Bay

New Zealand’s oldest wine region, Hawke’s Bay is on the east coast of North Island and is dominated by the Ngaruroro and Tutaekuri river valleys. Hawke’s Bay is the oldest wine region in New Zealand, located on the east coast of North Island and dominated by the Ngaruroro and Tutaekuri river valleys. The climate is warm and dry, with a Mediterranean style climate (warm dry summers with low rainfall and cool wet winters): ideal for growing variety of grape varieties. Hawke’s Bay grows around 60% red wine varieties – mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: Central Otago

Wine region: Central Otago This is the Central Otago wine region. The largest, oldest and southernmost of New Zealand’s regions, Central Otago includes a number of smaller areas: Alexandra District, Cromwell Basin, Wanaka, Bannockburn and Gibbston. Central Otago has around 170 producers with vineyards covering 1,400 hectares and over 60 wineries. It produces around 2 million liters of wine per year. Of this amount, 90 percent comes from Pinot Noir grapes that thrive in its climate. The region produces roughly 500 labels each year and exports 30 percent of them to countries including Australia, the United Kingdom and the United… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: Auckland

The Auckland region is New Zealand’s biggest wine region. As well as producing large quantities of wine, it produces excellent quality wines, particularly whites. The Auckland region is New Zealand’s biggest wine region. As well as producing large quantities of wine, it produces excellent quality wines, particularly whites. It is mainly located around the city of Auckland and stretches across the “Hauraki Gulf” – an arm of the sea which separates the North Island from many offshore islands (including Waiheke Island). Auckland city itself has one large winery and several boutique wineries within its boundaries, but the majority are located… Read more

Wine regions of New Zealand: Northland

Northland is New Zealand’s northernmost wine region. It is the smallest, and the only one that doesn’t have a recognised sub-region. Northland is New Zealand’s northernmost wine region. It is the smallest, and the only one that doesn’t have a recognised sub-region. The climate of Northland is warm, with abundant rainfall and a high level of humidity in most areas. All these factors mean that it can be difficult to grow grapevines here, but the grapes that do make it through are picked at full ripeness by hand. This means that the resulting wines are quite complex, with a lot… Read more