New Zealand's Recognised Wine Regions
Click on the region to find out more about the wine areas and wineries of New Zealand.
The first vines in New Zealand were planted in the Bay of Islands by the missionary, Reverend Samuel Marsden in 1819. In the late 1800's, the Croatian gumdiggers arrived in Northland, bringing their European tradition of winemaking. This has been the foundation of the New Zealand wine industry, with many of today's successful wine companies able to trace their lineage back to Northland.
Includes - Matakana, West Auckland, Kumeu, Waiheke Island, Clevedon, Awhitu
Henderson, Kumeu and Huapai to the northwest of Auckland's city centre have a long winemaking tradition and boast an array of both world renowned and boutique wineries. Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are popular varieties grown with fine examples of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir also found.
Auckland’s vineyards have more recently spread beyond Northwest Auckland into Waiheke Island, Matakana and Clevedon.
The Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions south of Auckland represent small but steadily expanding vineyard plantings that occupy scattered pockets of land amidst rolling farmland. Wine production is focused mainly on Chardonnay with Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc occupying second and third place. Both regions enjoy a moderately warm climate by New Zealand standards with soils of heavy loams over clay subsoils.
The Bay of Plenty region south east of Auckland represents a small but established vineyard planting that occupies scattered pockets of land amidst rolling farmland. Wine production is focused mainly on Chardonnay with Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc occupying second and third place. The region enjoys a moderately warm climate and fertile soils by New Zealand standards, while still having a coastal influence.
Gisborne wines are renowned the world over for their distinctive, intense fruit flavours and easy drinking style. Our wines are unique because they're deliciously drinkable when young, and will also develop well with age.
We invite you to share our history, meet our winemakers and visit our wineries so that you really get an appreciation of the diversity our region offers. Come join us on this unique adventure, we call it 'home'.
Hawke's Bay is New Zealand's oldest and second largest wine region with beginnings in 1851. It is the largest premium red wine producing region in the country with over 80% of the national vintage for both Cabernet Merlot and Syrah. Chardonnay and Cabernet Merlot varieties make up 50% of the total annual vintage. Approximately 50% of the vintage is white wine and 50% red wine.
The Wairarapa is located at the lower right-hand corner of New Zealandʼs North Island, approximately an hour north-east of Wellington. The winemaking area is divided into three main sub-regions: Masterton to the north, Gladstone in the middle and Martinborough to the south. The distance from Masterton to Martinborough it is about 35km. Pinot Noir is the region's most planted and certainly most acclaimed grape variety.
Nelson WineArt is made up of 25 family run wineries from the hills to the plains, crafting exquisite wines. Journey into the countryside and meet the winemakers at their cellar doors. Bask in the sunshine, enjoy lunch at one of the vineyard cafés, select wines for your cellar, taste . . . explore . . . imbibe. You’ll also discover art exhibitions, luxurious vineyard accommodation and breathtaking views in the picturesque hills and plains of Nelson.
It has been said that there is no wine anywhere in the world that tastes like the wine of Marlborough – the balance of extraordinary purity and intensity of flavours set around impressive aroma, distinctive fruit characteristics and appealing balanced acidity is superb. These are stylish, exciting wines that surprise and delight.
Canterbury consists of two major wine areas; the plains around the city of Christchurch, where grapes were first planted in the late 1970s, and the more recently developed valley area of Waipara, an hour's drive north of Christchurch.
The Waipara Valley is situated only 40 minutes drive north of Christchurch International Airport and Christchurch city, the capital of the South Island. It is the fastest growing wine region in New Zealand, with around 80 vineyards in the Waipara valley covering more than 1,200 hectares of plantings.
New Zealand’s newest wine region, the Waitaki Valley straddles the boundary between the North Otago and Canterbury provinces.
The area was first planted in 2001 and the vineyards are mostly small, intensively managed and produce a range of distinctive cool climate wines. Most of the vineyards are within 20km of Kurow, some 65km from the East Coast.
Central Otago is New Zealand's highest and the world's most southerly wine region situated at latitude 45º south. Ringed by mountains and interlaced with lakes and deep river gorges, this is New Zealand’s most spectacular vineyard setting.
Congrats on the continued development of your site and business - we find it a very useful tool and you seem to be going from strength to strength.
----Albie Dommerholt, ConstellationNZ | View more testimonials
www.winejobsonline.com is owned and run by Paddy and Heather Battersby,
New Zealanders with personal experience in the wine industry, recruitment
and human resources. Read more about us
here.
