Extending over 1,600km across subtropical Northland down to Central Otago, New Zealand’s wine regions boast some of the most extensive and complex flavours available on today’s market.
The country produces one percent of the world’s wine and offers a truly impressive range of varieties and styles, with the most popular being the internationally renowned sauvignon blanc, which is the most commonly planted grape and accounts for two-thirds of New Zealand’s wine production.
With 10 different wine-producing regions, namely Northland, Auckland, Gisborne, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Central Otago, Waitaki Valley, and North Canterbury, no vineyard is more than 120km away from the ocean.
This directly ties into one of the central pillars of success in New Zealand’s wines; its temperate maritime climate and long growing season situate the country in an ideal position for grape growing and producing high-quality wines.
Although the country has less than a century’s worth of official wine-producing history, it has swiftly made a name for itself as one of the most successful nations when it comes to growing and bottling the beloved beverage, becoming home to varieties and labels seen on shelves around the world.
The industry has four primary varieties – sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, pinot gris, and chardonnay – which account for over 90 percent of the nation’s wine production. However, the country equally excels in a growing range of popular styles.
There are myriad tours and wine-tasting opportunities available to indulge in and experience first-hand the delicacies of New Zealand wine, all thanks to the unwavering passion of local growers and producers.
Some world-class winery tours open to visitors include the Cloudy Bay tour in Marlborough, Gibbston Valley, where you can sleep amongst the grape vines for rich, decadent dreams; the Waiheke Island scenic wine tour, where you can visit three vineyards and have lunch at an award-winning restaurant on the white sands of Onetangi Beach; and the self-guided biking wine tour in Marlborough, where you can discover the beauty of the landscape whilst visiting any of the 12 wineries to sample a variety of wines in each location’s tasting room.
