Overview of the Wine Industry
New Zealand’s wine story began in 1819 with the first vine plantings in the far north of the North Island. No particular varieties or their origins are documented with any accuracy. Written evidence that Pinot Noir could be traced to that era does not exist - it is not until 1855 that any firm proof of plantings exists. By 1900 the variety was well established the North Island (Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay) and although it was not having any particular impact on the wine culture then, it did draw the attention of a few vignerons. These pioneering growers kept the variety alive until its value to the New Zealand Wine Industry was ultimately recognised in the 1980s.
Those original 1819 plantings appear to have originated with cuttings from vines in Port Jackson, Australia. The likelihood that they included Pinot Noir stock is low – and record keeping of the time, was not in sufficient detail to suggest otherwise. In 1836 James Busby, New Zealand’s first recorded winemaker, planted a vineyard at Waitangi (in the north of the North Island) and it is possible, though not proven, that some of the cuttings may have been Pinot Noir. Busby spent several months in France (including Clos Vougeot - Burgundy) and Spain before sailing to Australia and eventually onto New Zealand. Included in his luggage were 362 varieties of grape cuttings.
Between 1838 and 1889 only moderate vineyard plantings are noted: Charles Levit (1863) planted 2.8 hectares in his Kaipara Harbour vineyard (about an hour drive north of Auckland); Joseph Soler planted vines and sold commercial quantities of wine from his vineyards in Wanganui on the West Coast of the North Island (1869); and the Society of Mary (Marist) priests were responsible for establishing many vineyards in New Zealand – first in the far north, and progressively moving southward.
The Beginning of the Pinot Noir Story
The Marist order eventually settled in the Hawke’s Bay in what is now known as the Mission Estate Vineyards. In 1871 there was a notable change in vineyard philosophy and management within the Marist order with the arrival of Brother Cyprian Huchet as Cellarmaster, including the planting of new varieties. Among these varieties is the first real evidence of Pinot Noir’s establishment in Hawke’s Bay – it is quite possibly also the first evidence of the variety in New Zealand. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay were all planted in the Mission Vineyards.
Two dates of note in the establishment of Pinot Noir vines in New Zealand are 1865 in Central Otago and 1882 in the Wairarapa (Wellington). By 1865 Jean Desire Féraud, a French settler to the Central Otago region had established a vineyard and wine business. Of the wines he released onto the market (around 1870) one was a red “Burgundy Wine” as noted in the Otago Witness newspaper of the time. It could well be that Féraud was New Zealand’s first commercial Pinot Noir producer.
Further to the north in Wairarapa, there was a well known farming family, the Beethams, who had settled in the region in 1855. The Beetham family’s eldest son William travelled to France at some point, and while there met and married Marie Zelie Frére. When they returned home to the Wairarapa they brought with them vine cuttings, and established them in the Beetham family vineyards. Beetham eventually established another vineyard in the Hawke’s Bay region, and their successes led to the establishment of other vineyards in the Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay regions around 1898. All were apparently planted with Pinots Noir and Meunier.
Two significant historical happenings halted the establishment of Pinot Noir in the very early 1900s: Phylloxera and Prohibition. Phylloxera had likely arrived in the country with the vine cuttings that originated in France, and little was done about this until grafting onto American rootstocks began in 1902.
The Prohibition movement all but halted wine production across New Zealand in the early part of the 20th Century. When the pressure of Prohibition eased, more Pinot Meunier was planted than Pinot Noir, as it was more resilient, easier to establish, and it propagated well. By 1917 it accounted for two-thirds of all grapes used to make local wine.
Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir enjoyed popularity alongside a fortified wine-driven beverage sector for quite a few years. By 1965 circumstances changed again as white wine became popular. Two American hybrids, Baco 22a and Albany Surprise, provided the backbone of plantings for cheap bulk wine production during this time, and by 1965 less than 10 hectares of both Pinots Meunier and Noir were documented. Two rows of the original plantings at the Mission Estate vineyards existed until around 1980.
Although white wine had taken over in the popularity stakes, three clones of Pinot Noir had been established in Te Kauwhata (Waikato region – North Island) by Frank Berrysmith. These clones – Bachtobel, Oberlain and 10/5 – were sourced from Switzerland in 1962 and were propagated to success by Berrysmith. Some interest in these vines was generated from Nick Nobilo (Nobilo Wines), who experimented with some plantings and wines and planted a dedicated five-hectare Pinot Noir vineyard in Huapai (Auckland). Nobilo’s first Pinot Noir in 1973 stands as a foundation vintage for Pinot Noir for New Zealand. (http://www.nobilowines.com)
The Nobilo vineyard in Huapai was wiped out in 1984 when a hail storm hit, ending their Pinot Noir story for some time. But other growers around the country were beginning to establish Pinot Noir, so all was not lost. During this period the national government decided to increase wine taxes, and instigated a vine-pull scheme in order to meet an apparent wine glut. While many growers and winemakers accepted this cash buy-out, it also ignited trafficking in cuttings, and a sharing programme to keep precious vine resource material available.
In the mid 1970s, grape-growing research in the South Island was undertaken by Dr. David Jackson and Danny Schuster at Lincoln College (now University) in the Christchurch area. After producing some rather fruity red wines they were encouraged enough to keep making and tasting Pinot Noir. As a result of their experiments and encouragement the first private planting of Pinot Noir in Canterbury was undertaken – a one-acre vineyard went into the ground in 1977. This remains the oldest commercial Pinot Noir vineyard in New Zealand, and the vines provide fruit for Kaituna Valley Pinot Noir.
Included in the tasting panel at Lincoln were five wine growers/makers/enthusiasts: Dr. Neill McCallum (Dry River - Wairarapa), Tim Finn (Neudorf - Nelson), Rolfe Mills (Rippon – Central Otago), Ivan Donaldson (Pegasus Bay – Wairarapa) and Rudi Bauer (Quartz Reef). These gentlemen are now famous in their field both in New Zealand and around the world.
Readers may be interested to note St Helena Wine Estate (not to be confused with a winery of the same name in California) was established in North Canterbury in 1978. Pinot Noir from this company achieved a Gold Medal at the 1983 Air New Zealand Wine Awards.
Regional breakdown
By the early 1980s Pinot Noir was firmly established in Gisborne, and in parts of the Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Canterbury and Central Otago. The Pinot Noir wine story for New Zealand had begun in earnest. What follows below is an up-to-date (at time of writing) overview of each major wine region, with details on the number of producers, plantings, volume of wine produced and the style(s) that can be expected when tasting typical wines from these regions.
Auckland
While Auckland is not known for its Pinot Noir there are pockets of the variety planted, mainly in Auckland’s North West - and some reasonably high quality wine is produced.
Soils in the northwest around Kumeu are essentially comprised of clay over sandstone. There is enough moisture retention in drier summer periods to ensure that vines’ deep root systems have access to water. With the Tasman Sea not too far away (20 km/7.5 miles), there is a moderating effect on its cooler climate, stretching the growing season in order to ripen Pinot Noir successfully.
The earliest plantings of Pinot Noir were by Nick Nobilo, favouring the Bachtobel Swiss clone. After some initial success, it was decided by the Nobilo group that the vine generally fared better in Marlborough. By this time, however, Mate and Michael Brajkovich had already top grafted Pinot Noir in a section of their vineyard just along the main road in Kumeu River (early 1990s) with good results. The vines for Kumeu River Pinot Noir are planted adjacent to the Mate’s and Hunting Hill vineyards, which are well known for Chardonnay. These Pinot Noir vines, now twenty years old, produce a quality “Old World” style of wine – dried cherry and red cherry flavours, with old rose suggestions and mealy (if not dusty) tannins and seasoned oak complexity. (http://www.kumeuriver.co.nz/Our-Wine/2007-Kumeu-River-Estate-Pinot-Noir/)
West Brook Winery is located further to the north in the Waikoukou Valley. Here the soils are also clay-based, with some stony intervention. This is a cooler area, with some shelter belt tree lines and undulating hillsides. It is a little further from the Tasman Sea, but there is still some maritime influence. The wine style of the West Brook Pinot Noir is different from that of Kumeu River in its focus – more presence of fresh red and dark cherry flavours, and perhaps a newer wood component. A combination of barriques and puncheons is used at West Brook, while Kumeu River Pinot is fermented and matured solely in puncheons. (http://www.westbrook.co.nz/shop/Our+Wines/West+Brook+Waimauku+Pinot+Noir+2010.html)
(Incidentally the first commercially grown Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand was from vineyards in the Waikoukou Valley and not Marlborough.)
Gisborne
Through 2008, there were many growers in this region who provided Pinot Noir material for bottle-fermented sparkling wine production. With the cancellation of many grower contracts by a major buyer in the last five years, data collection and subsequent quantification of vine material is difficult to obtain.
Early settlers in the Gisborne region first planted grapevines in 1871. Records indicating the origin and varieties planted are not easy to locate, so it would seem fair to suggest that Pinot Noir may not have been planted in that time. Today it is a region better known for its white varieties, but Pinot Noir is planted there and ripens particularly well.
Although some of the modern vineyards of the 20th Century were established in the late 1960s, the momentum for serious viticulture and wine production did not happen in earnest until the 1980s.
In 1984 James and Annie Millton established their winery on the banks of the Te Arai River near Manutuke (Gisborne), a region situated on the East Coast of the North Island. In 1986 they were the first New Zealand winegrowers to attain Bio-Gro Organic Certification and, after 28 years of biodynamic practice, they were one of the first wine companies to qualify for the international Demeter Certification New Zealand (2009). http://www.demeterbta.com/
The Millton “Clos de Ste Anne” Pinot Noir is an exceptional wine. Grown on soils of volcanic loess over pumice, underlaid by calcareous base rock, this wine has a mysterious, voluptuous, and seductive bouquet. The palate is soft and generous as well as firm in structure. Pinot Noir with complexity, depth and a harmonious marriage of flavours can only come from a vineyard that is tended by hand and nurtured. The Milltons use only puncheons for the fermentation and maturation of these wines. (http://www.millton.co.nz/)
Wairarapa
The Wairarapa is often thought of as the most northerly of the “recognised” Pinot Noir regions in New Zealand (though I could argue that Auckland and Gisborne are the most northerly, given the recognition that Kumeu, West Brook and Millton Wines collectively have received in recent years). The Wairarapa comprises the sub-regions of Masterton, Gladstone and Martinborough, all of which are situated close to the Ruamahanga River and its river terraces.
It was on the river terraces in Masterton that the aforementioned French wife of early settler William Beetham planted 3,000 vines in the 1880s.
One of the more noteworthy modern Pinot pioneers of the Wairarapa is Larry McKenna (fondly known as “Larry McPinot”). McKenna joined Martinborough Vineyard in 1986 as winemaker and part owner. He was the first trained winemaker in the region and brought with him knowledge and experience. Pinot Noir workshops established by McKenna were instrumental in lifting the quality of Pinot Noir, and wine overall, from this region. The overall rise in quality of Pinot Noir throughout the major wine areas suitable for Pinot Noir can be credited in part to Larry.
Martinborough is the key sub-region of the Wairarapa, yet both Gladstone and Masterton wine producers have been ably producing fine Pinot Noir since the early 1990s.
Soils for wine in this region are largely free-draining, with those further away from the Rumahanga River displaying a higher content of clay and silt. This adds depth, as can been seen in the wines from Gladstone. Wines produced on terraced soils nearer the river are generally planted on gravel, and tend to be lighter in style and more elegant. With the braided soils of the terraces (gravels and clay silts) it is possible to source both flavour profiles within one vineyard.
The main physical difference between the three sub-regions in the Wairarapa is elevation, with a rise of 50 metres from Martinborough to Gladstone, and a further 50 metres as one travles to the northernmost vineyards in Masterton. This rise in elevation creates cooler nights and warmer days inland, promoting sub-regional differences in the wines. The Wairarapa is the driest part of the North Island with an annual rainfall of 700 to 800 mm, the majority of which falls over the winter months. Most of the rain comes from the south and is cool, limiting the onset of mildews and other rots.
Harvest yields in this region can be lower somewhat due to the impact of cold southerlies (winds) from the Antarctic. Lower yields at flowering can often mean smaller bunches, which are not unusual for the region. It increases skin-to-pulp ratio, increasing colour, flavour and tannin.
The boundaries of Martinborough are specific and defined in the Geographical Indicator (GI). It is rectangular in shape, bounded by the Ruamahanga River, The “Three Canoes” ridgeline and Te Muna Road. This GI was the first of its kind to be recognised in New Zealand.
A Taste: Structured, savoury, dark fruits and spice with great length and enviable depth. I have tasted many wines from this region and find this strong theme through many examples: dark strawberry and dark, macerated cherry fruit flavours, and savoury undertones with brown spice elements. Barriques are still common for the maturation of wine, although puncheons are now becoming more commonplace as well. The locally famous “Gumboot clone” (Abel Clone – ex-Burgundy and thought to be from Domaine De la Romanée-Conti) is widely planted and arguably provides suggestions of violets, savoury notes and structure; while clone 5 fleshes out the mid palate and 10/5 gives deep rich berry flavours. Dijon clones can add differing layers of complexity.
There are many producers of note from all three sub-regions of the Wairarapa. (http://www.wairarapawines.co.nz/)
Nelson
Like many of New Zealand’s wine regions, Nelson had humble beginnings, with initial settlers arriving from Europe in 1841. Vineyards established at this time were generally failures. It wasn’t until around 1868 that commercial quantities of wine from grapes and other fruits were made.
In 1872 Government Viticulturist Romeo Bragato found Nelson "admirably suited to cultivation of vines and fruit trees," and had “no hesitation in advising the residents to plant vines on a large scale." Fast-forward to 1973, when Hermann and Agnes Seifried purchased orchard land in the Upper Moutere sub-region. A Weinsburg graduate, Hermann was the first trained winemaker in the region. He sourced grape cuttings from the Ruakura Research Station and Massey University, and rootstock and scion wood for grafting. Varieties included Chardonnay, Riesling, Grey Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Sylvaner, Gewürztraminer, Golden Chasselas, Pinot Blanc, Gamay Beaujolais, Pinot Noir (Bachtobel) and Refosco.
In 1974 the Seifrieds planted a five-acre vineyard with grafted plants, and had their first harvest in 1976. The first known planting of Pinot Noir in the Nelson region is 1975 at Seifried.
In 1978 Tim and Judy Finn planted a range of vinifera varieties including Pinot Noir at their Neudorf Vineyard in Upper Moutere. Their first vintage was 1981 with Chardonnay (and later Pinot Noir) as the major varieties. Currently the Tom’s Block Pinot Noir (one of 2 key Pinots Noir) is a blend of fruit from the Waimea Plains (15%) and Moutere Hills (85%).
The Nelson region enjoys highly favourable climatic conditions due to the presence of mountains on three sides providing rain shadow and protecting it from dramatic weather systems. Despite this protection Nelson can also boast the most sunshine hours annually with about 2400 hours per year. Rain can fall in heavy volumes as well; however, the many free-draining soils of the region where vines are planted drain well and recover remarkably well.
The two distinct wine sub-regions, Waimea Plains and Moutere Hills, share a similar climate, but differ in soil structure. On the plains - free draining loams of sand, silt and clay over gravels - where the clay content becomes more dominant Pinot Noir seems to do better. Further into the Moutere Hills the clay content increases, and Pinot Noir does best here, with sandy top soils over clay sub-soils and evidence of ancient river beds. The main clones planted in this region are: UCD 5, 667, 777, 10/5 and the Abel.
A Taste: Perhaps the key differences between Pinot Noir grown on the plains and those in the hills is that Waimea Plains wines tend to be lighter, a little more floral and delicate with slightly more red cherry aromatics, whereas in the hills the wine show more depth and richness (clay) with a savoury character. Both can be marvellous wines. Mostly barriques are used, but some evidence of the use of Puncheons is now evident.
Marlborough
Grape vines were planted in Marlborough as early as 1873 in the Ben Morven. It was not until 1973 when Frank Yukich of Montana (better known today as Brancott Estate) secretly purchased and established the first of the vineyards that would eventually spearhead the modern era of viticulture in the Marlborough region. The Bachtobel Swiss clone of Pinot Noir was planted in 1975 on the Fairhall Estate vineyard in the Wairau Valley (owned by the company). Both Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir were released commercially in 1979.
Only the 1983 and 1989 vintages of Montana Pinot Noir wine were actually released, as much of the Pinot Noir material went into “Lindauer” sparkling wine production. So while Pinot Noir was grown in the region, it was not directed towards red table wine by the Montana (Brancott) Company until much later on.
Planted in 1987, a 14-hectare Pinot Noir vineyard in the lower Omaka Valley was established by Isabel Wines. Their 1994 vintage produced such an excellent crop that the wines sparked a new interest in Pinot Noir as a very real and separate wine for the region - not just material for sparkling production.
Around 1990 the first whispers of Pinot Noir-based red table wine were heard: George Fromm (Fromm Winery) and Mike Eaton (Viticulturist) established Pinot Noir vines at the Clayvin vineyard on clay-dominant, north-facing slopes of the Brancott Valley. High-density hillside plantings of Pinot Noir were considered a poor decision at the time – today, however, this has proven to be an important decision - with many more plantings by a number of wine companies directed to hillsides.
As recently as 1998 only 13 Marlborough Pinot Noir wines were listed as available for retail sales - so it was a relatively slow beginning. After Wither Hills Pinot Noir won Trophy Wine of Show at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards in 1999, things began to change dramatically.
Serious growth in Pinot Noir plantings and production began in earnest from 2000. Today there are 148 wine producers in Marlborough with most growing and producing a Pinot Noir wine. Marlborough Pinot Noir does sit in the shadow of Sauvignon Blanc, yet it is a serious contender for wine listings with high quality examples available.
In 2012, 9,859 tonnes of Pinot Noir were crushed – putting the variety well ahead of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling, but well behind Sauvignon Blanc’s 162,910 tonnes. Most of the fruit is used for dry table wine. Although there is also a notable increase in sparkling wine production, only a few producers of bottle fermented sparkling wine exist.
Located on the east coast with mountains to the west, Marlborough is one of New Zealand’s sunniest and driest areas. The sun shines very brightly, and with cool climate conditions the grapes have the advantage of a long, slow, flavour-intensifying ripening period. The average daily temperature during summer is around 24° Celsius (75° F) and the cool nights keep grape acid levels high.
Within the region, viticulture has been developed primarily on sites with moderate- to-low fertility and a noticeably stony, sandy loam top soil overlying deep layers of free-draining shingle, as found in the Wairau and Awatere Valleys. Close to the major rivers in the Wairau Plains the soils range from stony (former) riverbed gravels to deep, fertile silts. Awatere Valley soils range from loess to mixed stony gravel.
Multiple clones of Pinot Noir are grown with the 10/5, Abel, Pommard, 667, 777, 114 and 115 being the most common. The Swiss Bachtobel has all but gone in favour of the aforementioned new “rock star” clones. (http://www.wine-marlborough.co.nz/tourism/location/)
A Taste: Marlborough Pinot Noir can vary significantly in style and expression; a common set of characters found in these wines would be very clearly defined fruit aromas and flavours of red plum, light and dark cherry; on the palate there are medium+ to medium++ tannins (both fruit- and oak-derived, but perhaps more fruit). Typically there is a pre-ferment cold soak for 2 to 5 days and 7 to 21 days of post-ferment maceration. The use of new oak is normally around 20% to 50% new - usually French, but the trend in recent years is the use of less new oak and more 2- to 5-year-old wood. Marlborough Pinot Noir will reflect its “terroir” more in the lighter-bodied expressions where organic, natural or biodynamic winemaking is used. (This seems to be the domain of the boutique producer rather than higher volume brands.) A light peppery note can be found in some of the wines with more colour extract. Finally, there can be a very gentle and soft dried herb quality in the wines that adds complexity. Marlborough Pinot Noir can be soft and gentle with silky tannins and seamlessness on the palate, or very fruit-centred with bold statements of fruit, acid and oak. A mix of barriques and puncheons is used.
Canterbury
The earliest evidence of viticulture in the Canterbury region is in 1840, when French colonists of the time established the first vineyards.
Of the many and diverse grape varieties grown (Enigma and Breidecker included) in the Canterbury region, perhaps the most successful is Pinot Noir.
One of the first and iconic Pinot Noir wines to emerge from New Zealand is the St Helena 1982 crafted by Danny Schuster. St Helena, just north of Christchurch Airport and close to the banks of the Waimakariri River, was not the only wine operation in the region back then; however, it was one of the first to show potential for viticulture and for Pinot Noir especially.
That potential - and now devotion - to Pinot Noir in the Canterbury region has grown steadily since the 1980s. Today 30% of total plantings in the region are dedicated to Pinot Noir. The big growth in the variety occurred as recently as 2002, when beverage giant Pernod Ricard established 86 hectares of Pinot Noir in the Waipara Valley. Other growers in the locale supply producers such as Villa Maria and Nobilo.
The most southerly vineyard in Canterbury is the Opihi vineyard close to Timaru, and the most northerly is Marble Point Winery near Hanmer Springs. The majority of vineyards and producers lie north of Christchurch Airport in the Waipara sub-region. There is a distance of around 300km (115 Mi) between the north and south vineyards.
The concentration of vineyards in the Waipara Valley area is, in part, due to warmth. The Teviotdale Hills are just high enough to shelter the region from the cool northeasterly winds, whilst still allowing some maritime moderation from the Pacific Ocean. This adds up to more growing degrees days through the ripening season. In winter months it can get extremely cold, and snow drifts are common.
Given the propensity for the region as a whole to suffer from the effects of land movement (evidenced in the frequent earthquakes and aftershocks), and with the Southern Alps very close by, the soils in the region are wide and varied. The distance between vineyards contributes to the situation. Consequently, there are many stony, free-draining terraces above current river water levels. Deep alluvial gravels, fine loess top soils, clays and land fractured with limestone favour many wineries. Further to the south, near Amberley, the soils tend towards silt loams and gravel subsoils.
The clones for Pinot Noir are as wide and varied as those of Marlborough and include Abel and Dijon, with the 10/5 and 2/10 representing some of the older stock. The Canterbury region and Waipara Valley especially provide for some spectacular examples of Pinot Noir from a diverse range of producers.
A Taste: Waipara Valley Pinot Noir can be among some of the most expressive and engaging wines you might encounter from New Zealand: dense, rich and even brooding fruits; red and black cherry; and black raspberry. Very judicious use of oak in many cases delivers wines with depth and complexity. Where there is incidence of limestone in the soil the wines can deliver finer fruit tannins and acidity that seems to sparkle and “pop” on the palate, as well as giving great length on the finish. One or two producers may use 100% new French oak and these wines can be outstanding with the ripeness of fruit and complexity derived from the barrel selections. Many wines are now fermented and matured in puncheons.
Waitaki Valley
The Waitaki Valley is our smallest and newest region, and it sits on the extreme northern border of Otago. It is quite separate from the Central Otago region and all the producers from the area, as few as they may be, will firmly advise you of this - rightly so. It does have its own GI (Geographical Indicator) making it officially separate from both Canterbury and Central Otago.
You’ll note rather quickly the relative low number of hectares under vine - there are very few producers in the region. This stems from the fact that it is, in part, a very young region for viticulture with much of the land historically devoted to cattle farming and other agricultural practices.
The main township is very small and, along with much of the housing, follows the Waitaki River on its meandering journey to the Pacific Ocean. The river is braided, meaning that it comprises a series of smaller channels across a wide river bed - see image below.
Soils in the region are derived from two sources: ancient river beds with alluvium and loess deposits on the flat areas of the southern side of the river, and limestone-dominant soils a little further inland closer to and in the hills. The limestone deposits are evidence that this area was once the ocean floor. There are fossilised whale and penguin bones in some areas.
In some areas the low fertility of the soils and free drainage attributes mean that the vines need to be well established with deep tap roots to reach the nutrients below. This leads to strong, healthy vines that produce small grapes with an excellent concentration of flavour. In fact, the bunch weights in this region generally are 60 grams compared with 120 grams elsewhere in the South Island. This leads to a very specific fruit and flavour concentration in many of the wines.
A Taste: Vineyards closer to the river and on stonier soils produce Pinot Noir with much bolder fruit tannins and acids, and very expressive fruit flavours: black cherry fruit and dense dark raspberry. Some wild dried herb suggestions reflect the surrounding hillsides. On the hillside vineyards the fruit expression seems to be finer and more focussed with the same dark cherry and raspberry suggestions, but the tannins tend to be finer, dusty, chalky and with acidity to match. I find these wines to have a much longer finish as well. Most wine is fermented and matured in French barriques.
The biggest threat to viticulture is frost: it is an area of New Zealand on the border of being too cold for vines, and most of the vineyards in the Hakataramea Valley on the northern side of the Waitaki River have been severely frosted and have been deemed too costly to replant.
Central Otago
New Zealand’s (and the world’s) most southerly wine region, Central Otago, lies at the 45th parallel.
No other wine region in New Zealand has shot to fame as quickly as Central Otago. Pinot Noir from this region is arguably becoming as equal in celebrity as Sauvignon Blanc is to Marlborough. Spectacular scenery, famous movies, and skiing and extreme sport conditions assist in promoting the region.
Viticulture in the region dates back to the gold mining days of the region in the 1800s. Jean Desire Féraud, a French settler to the Central Otago region, established the first vineyard and wine business. The modern era of wine and Pinot Noir in Central Otago started in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1975 wine pioneer Rolfe Mills, who was the third generation of his family in the area, planted a series of experimental vines on the family farm in Wanaka. By 1982 the decision turn the experiment into a more serious venture was made and the first block of vines was established. The first commercial vintage was 1989.
Another wine pioneer of Central Otago, Alan Brady (Gibbston Valley; Mount Edward Wines), had similar dreams. He planted vines in the Gibbston Valley in 1981 and had many years involvement with the brand. He left Gibbston Valley wines in 1997 and established Mount Edward Winery. Grant Taylor, Brady’s chief winemaker at Gibbston Valley for a number of years, is equally famous, establishing the quality and style statement for both the brand and arguably for the region. Taylor now makes wine for several brands, including his own Valli, from both Central Otago and the Waitaki Valley.
By 1992 there were only 6 Pinot Noir producers in the region, but the next wave was about to burst onto the scene, as the Olssens, Mt. Difficulty and Felton Road brands had vines in the ground. By this time wine critics were also beginning to take notice, including Wine Spectator, who came to New Zealand to have look.
The third and final stage of modern development occurred when considerable investment led to a 625% growth in vineyard plantings between 2000 and 2009. Vines are still being planted in the region with varying degrees of success.
Central Otago is New Zealand’s most southerly wine region; it is also the country’s most inland and most elevated. The climate is semi-continental to continental and it has some of the lowest rainfall each year. Frost is a potential threat so vineyard location and aspect are critical to grape maturity.
The generic bedrock is a mixture of schist and greywacke alluvium, which makes the land difficult to work in areas where it reaches the surface. There is also foliated mica and quartzite deposited as glacial moraines, coarse-layered river gravels, ancient lakebed clays, sands and wind-blown loess deposits. In some of the older gold mining areas where sluices can still be seen, there is some evidence of soil erosion and wash-down from that era.
A Taste: Black cherry, freeze-dried raspberry, wild thyme and undergrowth are common descriptors. There’s no shortage of fruit expression in Central Otago wines. Wines from the Alexandra basin sub-region tend to be a little lighter in body with perhaps more red cherry and strawberry flavours, noticeable acidity and mealy tannins. Wines from the Cromwell area can be from vineyards with significantly more schist and quartz deposits, or loess and schist, and can show darker cherry fruit expressions while reflecting more of the wild thyme/dried herb qualities. With a little warmer climate, Central Otago fruit tends to be riper and bolder in flavour, so the use of newer oak tends to rise (not too much though – 20% to 40%) and with this more brown spice elements arrive in the wine – sometimes pepper. Wines from Wanaka are different again – this is a very cool climate area – windier, with more exposed clusters – so the combination of schist and wind-blown deposits in the soil as well as natural farming practices show wines with very fine fruit qualities, chalky fine tannins, no shortage of acidity and a long, complex finish.
Today there is noticeable investment in viticulture evidenced most notably in the practice of natural farming methods – biodynamic and organic. Many producers observe these methodologies without official certification.
All of the producers in the region are subjected to climatic extremes, ranging from the snow-swept temperatures of winter (well under 10°Celsius, -4° F) to scorching summers reaching 30° Celsius (86°F). Rainfall is low with around 700 mm annually (at best), so irrigation may be utilised.
Pinot Noir clones are numerous with UCD5, UCD6, Abel, 667, 777, 114 and 115. Some of the older 2/10 and 10/5 can be found as well.
Style 1: “Old World” savoury flavours with dried cherry, dried herb and gentle strawberry suggestions. Fine tannins, medium acidity.
Waimea Plains: lighter, floral and delicate with slightly more red cherry aromatics depth and richness (clay) with a savoury character. Medium to medium+ tannins and acidity.
Riverside vineyards: Stony soils - bolder fruit flavours and tannins and acids to match; wild dried herb suggestions.
Black cherry, freeze-dried raspberry, wild thyme and undergrowth are common descriptors. Alexandra wines can be a little lighter in body with red cherry and strawberry flavours. Cromwell shows darker cherry fruit expressions with the wines also more reflective of the wild thyme, dried herb qualities and brown spice flavours. Pepper in some. Wanaka wines have very fine fruit qualities, chalky fine tannins, plenty of acidity and complexity.
Conclusion
The wine landscape of New Zealand is changing constantly. With each new season and vintage comes a little more vine age, which is significant where Pinot Noir is concerned. More attention has been given to the way in which many vineyards are farmed and this too is reflected in Pinot Noir with more expressive “New World” fruit flavours, finer tannins, softer yet more focussed acidity and greater complexity. A better understanding of how oak is used to ferment and mature Pinot Noir shows too, with a trend towards the use of puncheons over barriques, along with less new oak and shorter barrel maturation times.
Pinot Noir from New Zealand can be captivating, sensual to the taste, and very much a local expression as well. Winemakers here have been inspired by the Old World, but are most definitively making Pinot as a reflection of their own land.
Acknowledgements:
I was assisted in the preparation of this article by many winemaker and viticulturalist friends, and drew historic knowledge from a number of local publications including: Pinot Noir - The New Zealand Story by John Saker; Wine Growers New Zealand
Thank you sir! Great in depth information... think my trip out to NZ might come sooner than later.
Thanks Cameron for such a great depth of information and that too in very precise and well defined way
Specially the tasting notes of the wine for all the region is just spectacular we are thankful to all the guild of sommelier admin team by putting all these topics together to understand the subject better and enhance the knowledge
Great stuff Cameron. I just recently got to visit New Zealand and focused on Pinot Noir. It really feels like the obvious potential of the grape here is getting realized, and quickly at that.
For me, I have to say I found most of my findings in Wairarapa "stuffy", and too heavy on that dark - almost cooked strawberry character, which in conjunction with oak makes for pretty rustic wines. Very easy (for me at least) to get confused with German Spätburgunder.
Marlborough is difficult and I still struggle to put it on the taste-map.
Otago provided the biggest surprise for me. I knew the wines were good, but I had some truly world class Pinots from the 2010 and 2011 vintages. Burn Cottage and Mount Edward's Morrison and Steven's Vineyards stand out in memory. Otago is still making big, sunbathed Pinot, but with nerve and elegance that wasn't there just a few years ago.