New Zealand: Canterbury and Otago, New Zealand
The spotlight falls on its southernmost growing regions - Canterbury and Otago.
CANTERBURY
Canterbury, located roughly in the middle of South Island, essentially has three
main areas - the vineyards on the coastal plains surrounding the main town of
Christchurch, the Banks peninsula at the easternmost extreme, and then those
in Waipara, about an hour's drive north of the city (not to be confused with
Wairarapa which is found further north in the Wellington region on North Island).
Located along 43° south latitude, Canterbury is currently New Zealand's
fourth largest region - although that might change soon given the pace of vineyard
plantings elsewhere.
The area was first planted commercially in the late '70s. In 1995 plantings
comprised just 215ha and by 2004 had risen fourfold to 822ha. By 2003, grape
production in the area had risen 28% to 1 422 tons.
Canterbury is known for its crisp, zesty Rieslings and classic, elegant Chardonnays
as well as good Pinot Noir - although the latter varies dramatically in quality
from grower to grower. Some Sauvignon Blanc is also grown, along with Pinot
Gris and other varietals.
Because the area is so cool, there can be some problems obtaining optimal ripeness.
Warm temperatures in December, January and February usually mean the grapes
don't suffer but harvest is normally in April when the season changes to autumn
- and becomes cooler - so frost can sometimes be a problem. Canterbury is known
for its long, dry summers and autumns - dry as a result of the rain shadow created
by the mountain range to the west. The average annual rainfall is 650mm to 750mm,
roughly half that of Auckland in the far north.
The soils on the plains surrounding Christchurch, New Zealand's third largest
city, are mainly alluvial silt loams overlaying gravel subsoils. In Waipara
they are somewhat different - chalky loams, often rich in limestone. This area
is sheltered from the coast by a low range of hills, so it doesn't cop most
of the windy flak other regions deal with and can be warmer because of the protection
offered by these hills.
The Banks peninsula is still small and relatively insignificant because plantings
are predominantly young.
Central Otago is the most southerly wine region in the world at nearly 46° south latitude - and the highest in NZ with vines planted at between 50 and 100m above sea level. One humorous winemaker talks about his product being "wines with altitude"…
The main city of the region is Queenstown, which is known as the country's adventure capital. It is renowned for its scenic beauty with dramatic vistas of the snowcapped New Zealand Alps, blue lakes and green slopes attracting heaps of tourists. Consequently, there's a tremendous variety in terrain - slopes, aspects and soils.
The climate is New Zealand's only truly continental one. Rainfall occurs mainly in winter and spring so is not usually a factor at harvest, unlike other regions. On average between 400mm and 620mm of rain is measured each year. One by-product of this climate is the lovely sunny summer days which are not affected by cloud.
Vines can be found planted on mountain slopes to make the most of both sunshine hours and also to reduce the risk of frost. Otago is a cool area - even, cooler than Germany's acclaimed Riesling producing area, the Mosel! Frost is a huge problem and can cause defoliation late in the season. Vines lose their leaves, bringing an end to the ripening of the grapes - and then all fruit has to be picked as soon as possible.
The rocky soils are a positive factor because they absorb heat during the day and radiate it at night, reducing some of the effects of day/night temperature extremes. Soils also vary dramatically - lots of mica deposits can be found, and schist in silty loams.
Harvest is around six to seven weeks later than on North Island, meaning grapes enter cellars mid-April as opposed to February or March.
In 1989 Otago had only 7ha of vines. Now, according to the official New Zealand wine website, plantings have grown to 453ha in 2004 - and continue apace. Some pundits believe that it could soon be challenging for a spot in the top five from its current seventh spot.
Some of the region's growers are concerned that grape production will soon outstrip processing ability. There were 17 production facilities at last count and the last reported harvest was hectic, with wine being made in some unconventional containers…
Pinot Noir's the top grape here, Chardonnay second, Sauvignon Blanc third and Riesling a distant fourth. But some believe the greatest chance of success lies with white grapes.
FACT
FILE
Grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris,
Gewurztraminer.
Soils: Alluvial silt loams over gravel in Canterbury and silty loams
in Otago but with a high percentage of schist and mica elements.
Climate: Maritime but cool with a notable Continental climate in Central
Otago. Ripening and frost can be a problem because of the coolness of the area.
Rain during harvest can also cause rot.
Top producers:
Canterbury
Giesen
Pegasus Bay
St Helena
OtAGO
Felton Road
Kawarau Estate
Omarama Vineyard
