I am back from several wonderful weeks touring the wine regions of New Zealand, and on the long flight home took the opportunity to update the chapter on New Zealand in The Concise Guide to Wine and Blind Tasting. For those who have the book (and those who don’t), here is the revised version:
The vine arrived in New Zealand in the early nineteenth century, borne across the seas by English missionaries. The story of wine in these islands was for a long time one of stagnation—and then, a sudden and spectacular flourish. In the wake of phylloxera, growers did not graft their European vines onto American rootstocks, opting instead to plant inferior hybrids. A fall in quality and cultural, economic, and legislative obstacles impeded the growth of the wine industry, and for a long time most of the wine produced was being either fortified or distilled.
Following the UK’s entry into the EEC in 1973, New Zealand could no longer rely on exports of lamb, beef, and dairy to the old country. As the economy diversified, viticulture grew in importance. At about the same time, some deregulation of pubs and restaurants and a surge in international trade led to a transformation in attitudes to wine. In 1973, Montana (now Brancott Estate), acting on advice from UC Davis, planted Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough. Under the aegis of Dr Richard Smart, the government viticulturalist in the 1980s, canopy management, necessary because of high vegetative growth, became common practice. Technological expertise gathered in the dairy industry led to world-leading improvements in winemaking, not least the introduction of temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks. These changes led to the clean, fresh, and punchy style of Sauvignon Blanc that has become New Zealand’s signature style. By the mid-1990s, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay had overtaken the less exciting Müller-Thurgau, which had been planted under the misguided notion that growing conditions in New Zealand resembled those in Germany.
Today, Sauvignon Blanc accounts for ~64% of New Zealand’s ~40,000ha under vine. Other varieties, notably Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and, more recently, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Syrah have also been established. In New Zealand, 30-years-old is old for a vine. As these vines mature, their fruit, and the wines, ought to get better and better. In 2020, the country produced ~3.3m hectolitres of wine, or ~1% of the world total. 85% of the production was exported, mostly to the USA, the UK, and Australia, with Sauvignon Blanc accounting for over 85% of exports. The country’s ten main wine regions are in the process of consolidating, with growers refining clones and sites; but the only wine region that is still growing is the largest one: Marlborough.
The lie of the land
Although only half the area of France, New Zealand spans 12 degrees of latitude from 34°S to 46°S. The vine is cultivated along most of the length of the country, from subtropical Northland down to Central Otago—a distance of 1,100km. Viticulture is concentrated on the east coast, which is more sheltered from the prevailing westerlies, known, from their latitude, as the Roaring Forties. The overall climate is cooler than the latitude range might suggest owing to the moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean and chilly southerlies that arrive unimpeded from Antarctica. Central Otago, nestled in the Southern Alps and blocked off from wider weather patterns, is the country’s only truly continental viticultural region.
Climate
Overall, the South Island is considerably cooler than the North. On both islands, the more sheltered east coast is drier than the west. Mean annual rainfall in Milford Sound, west of the Southern Alps, is 6,813mm (making it one of the wettest places on earth), versus less than 400mm in Central Otago. Marlborough, which lies in a rain shadow, is the country’s sunniest wine region (although in some years Nelson might be sunnier) and can be affected by drought. Irrigation, which is unregulated, is often necessary, although ambitious producers use it only sparingly. Owing to the geography, the clean air, and the hole in the ozone layer, sunlight can be harsh, and canopy management aims in part at reducing UV burning of the fruit. When I toured the country at the height of summer, I felt the need to wear my sunglasses even when it was raining. Frosts, too, have become a problem in recent years, with cold spells exacerbated by deforestation in areas such as Marlborough that have undergone a large expansion in vineyard area. Frost fans, which serve to invert the air, are a common sight. La Niña years are associated with higher rainfall during the growing season, and El Niño years with drier, sunnier conditions. Owing to la Niña, North Island regions like Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Martinborough suffered greatly in 2023, before the return of El Niño in 2024.
Soils
In stark contrast to Australia, which lies over 1,400km across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand is one of Earth’s youngest landmasses. Its mountainous spine and frequent seismic and volcanic activity owe to its position on the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. Vineyard soils predominantly consist of free-draining deposits of greywacke gravel (pronounced ‘greywacky’, a hard, grey sandstone) brought down from the mountains by braided rivers. The country’s most renowned gravel areas include the Wairau and Awatere Valleys in Marlborough, Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay, and the gravel terrace in Martinborough. North Canterbury and the Waitaki Valley, between North Canterbury and Central Otago, are the only wine regions with significant limestone deposits. In many areas, the combination of fertile soils and humid conditions promotes leaf growth, with the principal function of canopy management being to ensure that sunlight can percolate to the fruit without also burning it. In New Zealand (and Australia), most soils are rich in potassium, meaning that many red wines, rightly or wrongly, end up being acidified. This is especially true of Pinot Noir, and of mass market wines. Caveat emptor.
Regions
North Island: Auckland and Waiheke Island
Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city, and the wine region used to include the Northland district that extends to the northern-most tip of the island. In 2020, Auckland counted 99 wineries on ~300ha, compared to 158 wineries on ~28,000ha in Marlborough. The subtropical climate is associated with disease pressure throughout the year and potential dilution at harvest time. However, ample cloud cover protects the fruit from the scorching sun, and drier sites are well suited to the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, which can struggle to ripen in other parts of the country.
Some of Auckland’s best wines hail from Kumeu, which is home to descendants of Croatian Dalmatian settlers such as the Brajkovich family of Kumeu River. Their wines are often mistaken for fine Burgundy, despite the soils of clay. Interestingly, they use the lyre trellising system, for three reasons: increased aeration, increased sun exposure, and decreased vigour. Their Kumeu Chardonnays are very different: the Codrington is rich and powerful but long and stepped; the Hunting Hill is Chardonnay for Riesling lovers; while the Maté, adjacent to Hunting Hill, is more weighty and a little more oaked. Best value, though, is the Estate—which, in good vintages, ages admirably. Under the label of Rays Road, Kumeu River has started making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a north-facing limestone hillside in Hawkes Bay. The Brajkovich family remain staunch supporters of the screwcap.
To the east of Auckland, Waiheke Island is drier than the mainland, enabling the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon to thrive. Although it is Stonyridge’s Larose Bordeaux blend that put Waiheke onto the world wine map, Syrah has become the most planted variety, followed by Merlot. Today, the 4,500 acre Man O’ War estate, dotted with 76 strategically positioned vineyards, accounts for a fair slice of the island, and about half of its vinous output. Their Ironclad Bordeaux blend and Dreadnought Syrah are better value than their premium Kulta range. Waiheke is at once the Hamptons and the Bolgheri of New Zealand, with prices to match.
North Island: Gisborne and Hawkes Bay
Gisborne, with its nine distinctive districts, occupies the eastern extremity of North Island, and is the first wine region in the world to see the dawn. With fertile, moisture-retaining loam soils and plenty of sunshine, yields are high and harvests are early—enabling growers to pick before the rains. The region is dominated by growers who sell their grapes to large, multiregional concerns. Local champions, such as Matawhero and Millton, are especially reputed for their Chardonnay, made in a signature velvety style.
Further south around the twin towns of Napier and Hastings, and crowned by the picturesque Te Mata Peak, is Hawkes Bay, which, with ~5,000 ha under vine, is New Zealand’s second most important wine region. Most plantings are in the Heretaunga Plains, which includes Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa—both terraces left behind by the Ngaruroro river. The geologically older Bridge Pa has a deeper layer of topsoil, leading, in the red wines, to greater perfume and softer tannins. Hawkes Bay benefits from abundant sunshine and cooling sea breezes. Although Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate plantings, the region’s reputation rests rather on its Bordeaux blends. Even on the warmer gravel deposits, Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen, so that the blends are dominated by Merlot. Syrah is a relative newcomer, but plantings have already overtaken those of Cabernet Sauvignon (a mere 183ha). In 1964, long before the time of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, André Simon visited Hawkes Bay, and Tom MacDonald felt comfortable enough to pour him his 1949 Church Road Cabernet blend alongside a bottle of Château Margaux. Simon pronounced that McDonald’s wine was ‘rare and convincing proof that New Zealand can bring forth table wines of a very high standard of quality.’ Te Mata is New Zealand’s oldest operating winery: you’ll struggle to find their Coleraine, which is the country’s closest thing to a Classed Growth, but their Awatea (Bordeaux blend) and Bullnose (Syrah) are in any case better value. Other favourite producers are Elephant Hill and Craggy Range.
North Island: Wairarapa and Martinborough
Wairarapa [Maori, ‘Glistening Waters’] with its ~1,000ha under vine is tiny compared to Marlborough across the Cook Strait, and dominated by small producers bent on quality. Martinborough, the main town, lends its name to the area and gravel terrace that produces some of New Zealand’s most celebrated Pinot Noirs. In the lee of the Remutaka Range, which separates the region from Wellington, this is the driest region in North Island. It is also the coolest, with the mountains to the east and west forming a funnel for Antarctic southerlies. Cold spring winds affect flowering, limiting yields and berry size. But summer brings hots days and cool nights, and the autumn is long and dry. Soils are varied, with some of the finest vineyards on more or less clayey gravel. Pinot Noir takes centre stage, and accounts for over half of plantings. Pioneers such as Ata Rangi (‘New Dawn’), Martinborough Vineyard, and Dry River began planting Pinot Noir in the 1980s, and, with better clones, better sites, and older vines, their wines have come to rival those of Burgundy. In fact, much of the Pinot Noir in Martinborough is the Abel clone, which, it is said, descends from a cutting from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti smuggled in a gumboot by a tourist and intercepted at Auckland airport by Malcolm Abel, who happened also to be a winemaker. Sauvignon Blanc accounts for a large minority of plantings, and Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Riesling are also to be reckoned with. Favourite producers include Ata Rangi (give the single vineyard Pinot Noirs 5+ years), Escarpment (the Kupe is worth the premium), Schubert Wines (try the Block B or Marion’s Vineyard), and Japanese perfectionist Hiro Kusuda, who trained at Geisenhein and even makes a Trockenbeerenauslese!
In 2023, Hiro and I tasted the same 2013 Riesling aged under cork versus screwcap. First, they were very different! Second, the one under screwcap seemed a lot younger, and more ‘correct’. But we both preferred the one under cork.
South Island: Marlborough
First planted in 1973, Marlborough has come to account for ~70% (28,000ha) of New Zealand’s vineyard area and three-quarters of its output. The region lies in a rain shadow near the northern extremity of South Island. The regional centre is Blenheim, and the main areas are Wairau Valley, the Southern Valleys (connected to Wairau Valley), and Awatere Valley. The Maori refer to Wairau Valley as Kei puta te Wairau: ‘The place with the hole in the cloud.’ With long and sunny days, cool nights, (often) dry autumns, and soils of alluvium over gravel, growing conditions are next to ideal. Spring frosts and summer droughts can present challenges, and the use of drip irrigation, especially over free-draining gravels, is common. The five Southern Valleys have more clayey soils and a slightly cooler, drier climate. Further south, Awatere Valley, which runs parallel to Wairau Valley, is somewhat cooler, drier, and windier. Crops are smaller, with smaller berries and thicker skins, and harvest is delayed by 2-3 weeks. As a result, Awatere Sauvignon Blanc is more herbal, textural, and mineral.
Marlborough counts ~500 growers and ~160 wineries. Growers without a winery tend to have their own label and contract the winemaking to one of the wineries. In 2018, 36 wineries launched the Appellation Marlborough Wine scheme, which, by 2022, had 53 members. Sauvignon Blanc accounts for four-fifths of the region’s area under vine. Much of the output is rather generic, but quality producers such as Greywacke (Kevin Judd) and Dog Point focus on single vineyard expressions, including wild, barrel-fermented Bordeaux-style cuvées (try Greywacke’s Wild Sauvignon or Dog Point’s Section 94 cuvée). Pinot Noir accounts for a tenth of plantings, which sounds small but represents half of the country’s Pinot Noir. Marlborough Pinot Noir is often light and fresh, setting it apart from Martinborough, North Canterbury, and Central Otago. Fromm specialises in small batch Marlborough reds, especially Pinot Noir and Syrah (try the Curation Pinot Noir). Tenth generation Sancerre producer Henri Bourgeois battles it out in Marlborough under the label of Clos Henri, and their Pinot Noirs are among the finest. The Marlborist is the new venture of winemaker Rich Ellis, who used to work at Ata Rangi and Greywacke. If served his Chardonnay blind, you would think of Burgundy long before you thought of Marlborough! Framingham cherishes its old Riesling vines, from which it occasionally obtains a Trockenbeerenauslese. Marlborough is also New Zealand’s largest producer of sparkling wine, mostly blends of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (Chapter 12). Cloudy Bay Pelorus, Nautilus Cuvée, No 1 Family Estate, Deutz Marlborough, and Quartz Reef are regional benchmarks for traditional method sparkling wine.
South Island: Nelson
Nelson, northwest of Marlborough, is the only wine region on the western side of New Zealand, and is perhaps better known for its orchards and seafood. The climate is similar to that of Marlborough, if a little cooler and wetter, with abundant sunshine in the lee of the Southern Alps and Tasman Mountains. Annual rainfall of 960mm (vs 700mm in Marlborough) and greater water retention make dry farming possible. The clay-bound gravel of the Moutere Hills yields more dense, textural wines than the loamier Waimea Plains. Sauvignon Blanc is the most planted variety, although the region also has a reputation for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The lingering autumns are ideal for late-harvest sweet wines, which are made from Riesling and other varieties. Favourite producers include Neudorf, Seifried, and Abel. Neudorf is especially reputed for its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays: when it came to the Pinot Noirs, I preferred the Home Block to the neighbouring Tom’s Block, although the Tom’s Block is better value. At Seifried, the jewel in the crown is the Sweet Agnes, which is made from raisined Riesling . So far, the McGills at Abel, a stone’s throw from Neudorf, have made only the one Chardonnay, but what a Chardonnay! They, and the Moutere Hills, are certainly ones to watch.
South Island: North Canterbury
North Canterbury lies around 70km north of Christchurch and its stunning botanical gardens. The region can be divided into four main areas: Waipara in the centre, on gravel and clay; Omihi to the northeast, on clay; Glasnevin to the south, on gravel; and Waikari to the northwest, on limestone. The Teviotdale Hills shelter the region from cool easterlies, so that the climate is milder than that of Christchurch—or indeed Burgundy, to which North Canterbury, especially Waikari, is often compared. In Waikari, Pyramid Valley and Bell Hill (situated in a disused lime quarry) emulate the high-density plantings of Burgundy. Pyramid Valley’s Angel Flower Pinot Noir, from a small plot of ungrafted vines, is ethereal and eternal, like the Holy Ghost. Pegasus Bay is one of the very few New Zealand producers with a focus on Riesling, including luscious, botrytised styles. All Pegasus Bay Rieslings have a signature note of orange zest. Other favourite producers in North Canterbury include Black Estate, Greystone, and Muddy Water.
South Island: Central Otago and Waitaki Valley
Enclosed by the Southern Alps, Central Otago is the only continental climate region in New Zealand, with extreme seasonal and diurnal temperature variations. Although summers are short, they are hot and sunny, and followed by a dry autumn. Harvests take place in mid-to-late April compared to late February or early March in the country’s more northern regions. The best sites are on north-facing slopes with maximal sun exposure, and many vineyards overhang the region’s several lakes and rivers. The soils are glacial derived, with some gravel deposits over schist. Owing to the climate, steep slopes, and poor water retention, irrigation is often required. Aside from cherries and apricots, and lupins, the region is most reputed for its Pinot Noir, which accounts for ~80% of vineyard plantings. There are six sub-regions: Bendigo, Lowburn, and Bannockburn in the Cromwell Basin (~60% of plantings); Gibbston, to the west towards Queenstown; Alexandra to the south; and Wanaka to the north. Gibbston, in the narrow Gibbston Valley, is the coolest sub-region with the longest hang times. Seminal wineries such as Gibbston Valley, Rippon (try the Tinker’s Field or Emma’s Block), and Felton Road (try the MacMuir) exemplify the signature rich and velvety style. Gibbston Valley’s Le Maître range is named for Alan Brady, who, in 1987, made Central Otago’s first commercial Pinot Noir. The overlooked Riesling is especially good value. Rippon is worth a visit just for the view from the tasting room—and for the Gamay, which reminded me of a Morgon Côtes du Py. Alsace-trained winemaker Paul Pujol is doing some great work at Prophet’s Rock. His Cuvée aux Antipodes (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) is a collaboration with François Millet, who, for 35 years, was winemaker at Comte Georges de Vogüé. The wines of Sato, a Japanese husband and wife, are so silky and subtle as to represent another vision of Central Otago. Other favourite producers include Bannockburn, Two Paddocks, and the Dicey brothers, who, among others, make a vibrant and electric Gamay. Maybe Central Otago Gamay ought to be more of a thing!
To the north-east of Central Otago, near Oamaru on the Pacific coast, is the distinctly cool and limestone-rich Waitaki Valley, which is attracting prospective interest for its much more Burgundian expressions of Pinot Noir. Producers to try include Te Kano and Valli.
Wine styles
New Zealand’s cool yet overall sunny climate favours varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling that are most at home in northern Europe. Varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah have colonized a few warmer regions, notably Hawkes Bay and Waiheke Island. Generally, the New Zealand style is characterized by bright, pure fruit and vibrant acidity.
The inimitable Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has become a benchmark for Sauvignon Blanc. It has a clean, pungent aroma that combines ripe fruit and fresh vegetal notes. A typical tasting note might include gooseberry, passion fruit, asparagus, fresh grass, and blackcurrant leaf. Acidity is high but somewhat disguised by a smooth texture and, often, a touch of residual sugar that contributes roundness rather than sweetness. Body is medium and alcohol is medium-to-high. The finest examples are a lot more restrained, textural, and mineral, and, as in Bordeaux, may be fermented and matured in oak. Sauvignon Blanc from the North Island is often richer, and driven more by tropical fruit. Compared to Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is typically riper, higher in alcohol, and less chalky or mineral.
Ripe (although not tropical) fruit and high acidity are the hallmarks of New Zealand Chardonnay. Typical notes include ripe apple and stone fruit, sometimes with a distinct yoghurt note. The finest examples evince Burgundian winemaking techniques, especially oak ageing, with American oak and obvious new oak much less common than they used to be. Chardonnay from the North Island is often riper, but it is hard to generalize.
When it comes to Riesling, New Zealand looks more to Europe than to Australia, with generally lighter and more delicate styles. The wines are typically crisp and clean with a fresh lime character, as opposed to the pungent lime cordial note of many Australian Rieslings. There are, however, a range of styles, including delicate, Mosel-like styles and late harvest styles. I have tasted some aged examples with appealing petrochemical notes, though I would probably have preferred them in their youth. Over 90% of New Zealand’s Riesling is from South Island.
In 2020, New Zealand counted almost 2,600ha of Pinot Gris, versus just ~600ha of Riesling. New Zealand Pinot Gris is closer to Alsatian Pinot Gris than to Italian Pinot Grigio, although rarely as exhilarating. The best examples are dry or off-dry with notes of apple, pear, honeysuckle, white pepper, and spice. Some, especially from North Island, may bear the oiliness of an Alsatian Pinot Gris, possibly with hints of lees stirring or barrel ageing. My favourite New Zealand Pinot Gris (and Gewurztraminer) is from Prophet’s Rock in Central Otago.
Ultra-clean fruit and high acidity (often added) are the hallmarks of New Zealand Pinot Noir, which, like the Riesling, mostly hails from South Island. Although intended for youthful drinking, more ambitious examples can develop savoury notes of earth and game. Pinot Noir from Central Otago is deep violet in colour with notes of bright black fruits and cherry. On the palate, it is full-bodied for Pinot Noir, often with high alcohol and firm, round tannins. More commercial examples can seem a little cooked. Marlborough Pinot Noir, which is dominated by red fruits such as cranberry and raspberry, is light in colour and weight, with finely etched, peppery tannins. Generally, Pinot Noir from Martinborough is more substantial than that from Marlborough, and more complex than that from Central Otago. Notes of cherry and plum mingle with game, spice, and chocolate. The single vineyard bottlings from Ata Rangi are especially ageworthy. The North Canterbury style, though still evolving, is the most Burgundian of the four, with structure derived more from acidity than tannins.
The New Zealand style of Syrah (Kiwis calls it ‘Syrah’ rather than ‘Shiraz’) is still emerging. Most plantings are in Hawke’s Bay and Auckland. Even in the best sites, the fruit can struggle to ripen, leading to light, earthy wines with just-ripe black fruits, an appealing greenness, and crisp acidity. The pepper notes are unmistakably Syrah, as are the tannins, which are broad but elegant. Mike Wood, the winemaker at Obsidian on Waiheke, has a particular passion for Syrah—or you could try Elephant Hill’s Stone Syrah.
As with Syrah, the vast majority of plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are in Hawke’s Bay and Waiheke. Varietal Merlot is often made in an easy-drinking style, chocolatey with ripe (although not jammy or baked) plum notes. More ambitious examples are likely to include components of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and/or Malbec. Examples from Waiheke Island, if you can find them, are more likely to be dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. Compared with the real McCoy, New Zealand Bordeaux-style blends have more vibrant fruit and a more savoury, mineral character. Try Te Mata’s Awatea (Hawke’s Bay) or Man O’ War’s Ironclad (Waiheke).
Finally, be aware that, as in Napa and Tuscany, some ultra-premium bottlings in New Zealand are made more for the rich than for the right. When I questioned these wines, I was told, on more than one occasion, “Some people just want something expensive.”
