New Zealand

Definition - What does New Zealand mean?

New Zealand is located just off the coast of Australia and is considered to be one of the countries encompassing New World wine making practices and regions. Its balanced combination of soil, climate, and water make it a prime location for wine-growing, which began in 1851 with the official establishment of the country's first vineyard in Hawke's Bay by Roman Catholic missionaries.

New Zealand is comprised of 15 soil orders and 10 major wine producing regions which are spread across the North and South Islands. Among these regions, Marlborough is considered the most important. New Zealand is popular for its white wines which are grassy and have a pungent smell, made from Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough.

WineFrog explains New Zealand

New Zealand boasts 10 wine regions listed below from their position on the map from North to South:

  1. Northland
  2. Auckland
  3. Waikato/Bay of Plenty
  4. Gisborne
  5. Hawke's Bay
  6. Wellington
  7. Nelson
  8. Marlborough
  9. Canterbury/Waipara
  10. Central Otago.

Its most notable regions are Marlborough and Central Otago, with Marlborough containing 87 different soil types (8 of the 15 soil orders). The foundation for the modern New Zealand wine is in the areas such as Central Otago, and the wines there are dense and muscular with a strong flavor of a dark fruit. The aromatic varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer are well suited to be grown in cooler parts of the South Island. On the contrary, the Bordeaux Blend varieties flourish in the warmer parts of North Island.

While temperatures in New Zealand don't vary much in range, it can experience erratic fluctuations due to its coastal location. As a result of its unique temperature ranges, its seasons are reverse from that in Europe and the United states with Spring emerging in September, October and November; Summer in December, January and February; Autumn in March, April and May, and finally, Winter in June, July and August.