New Zealand

Question 1

How has NZ caused envy and copying in the wine world?

Answer 1

With its stand out variety Sauv B, P since the 80s in an unoaked, dry, high acidity, with pronounced green and tropical flavours with high acidity.
Able to produce it due to its largely cool, maritime climate

Question 2

What latitude does NZ lie in? What reds does this enable it to P?

Answer 2

36-46 S: high proportion of sunshine hours: a range of reds, from high acidity PN to full bodied Bordeaux blends.

Question 3

What is the history of plantings and production in NZ?

Answer 3

First vines planted in 1819 by Samuel Marsden.
First winemaking recorded by James Busby in 1840.
Due to influx of UK immigrants with beer and whisky drinking culture, and also to a temperance movement that demanded restrictive laws on wine sales, the growth of the industry was inhibited until the early 1960s: supermarkets were only permitted to sell wine after the Sale of Liquor Act 1989.

Question 4

What happened in the key dates of 1819, 1840, 1960s and 1989?

Answer 4

First vines planted in 1819 by Samuel Marsden.
First winemaking recorded by James Busby in 1840.
Due to influx of UK immigrants with beer and whisky drinking culture, and also to a temperance movement that demanded restrictive laws on wine sales, the growth of the industry was inhibited until the early 1960s: supermarkets were only permitted to sell wine after the Sale of Liquor Act 1989.

Question 5

What style of wine was produced in the first half of the 20th century? When and why did that change?

Answer 5

Fortified style: ‘sherry’ or ‘port’ as there was little local demand for dry table wine.
Other immigrants from Europe. key Croatia, established vineyards in West Auckland and Hawke’s Bay, and started to P table wines.
More affordable overseas travel, greater interest in dining out and increased coverage of food and drink in print and on TV prompted a growing appreciation amongst locals and their wine.

Question 6

What factors were fundamental to delivering clean, consistent and reliable wines?

Answer 6

A long standing dairy industry supports the countries manufacture and export of butter and cheese, so very high hygiene standards and use of temperature control were second nature to farmers moving into wine production.

Question 7

What is the history of development of production and exports?

Answer 7

1981: 5’000 ha planted, 6,000 hL exported.
2018: 38,000 ha planted, 2.7m hL exported.
Largely driven by the success of Sauvignon Blanc. PN, Chard and PGris have also seen sharp increases in popularity.

Question 8

How much of plantings does Sauv B account for?

Answer 8

2/3rds of countries total 25,333 ha (38,000 total)

Question 9

Where is NZ located? What separates the two islands?

Answer 9

Separated by the Cook Strait.
Relatively isolated in Pacific: 1,900km SE from Aus, 5000km N of Antarctica, 9000km W of Chile.

Question 10

What is the general climate of NZ?

Answer 10

Cool Pacific regulates what would otherwise be warm (NZ as far from the equator as Rome): most areas maritime.
Cool climate found in most parts of the S island, whereas lower latitudes of N island, such as Auckland and Gisborne, have moderate.

Question 11

Which is the only region with a continental climate?

Answer 11

Central Otago, sheltered by mountains on all sides.

Question 12

Where are vineyards generally found? Rainfall?

Answer 12

On the E of the island: the Southern Alps run the length of the South Island and protect from prevailing winds blowing from the Tasman Sea.
Still receives 650mm

Question 13

What are significant factors of NZ climate?

Answer 13

High UV radiation, long hours of sunlight and wide diurnal range.

Question 14

Why are UV levels thought to be so high in NZ? What effect does this have on ripening?

Answer 14

Can be 40% higher compared to similar latitude in N hemisphere.
- partly due to hole in ozone
- very low levels of pollution.

Enhance development of colours and tannins, desirable in black grape varieties.

Question 15

Where experiences long hours of sunlight and wide diurnal ranges?

Answer 15

Former in S of island: important for increasing viability of ripening
Latter also for S island, helps to preserve acidty.

Question 16

What is vigour generally? What causes this?

Answer 16

Could be excessive, due to more than enough rainfall in most regions, high levels of UV, sunshine hours exceeding 2000 per yer, and relatively fertile soils.
Canopy management is essential, otherwise too much shading and lower quality.

Question 17

What is general training and trellising?

Answer 17

VSP with two canes.
Some large volume P may use more complex with 4 canes, such as Scott Henry, but high yields can be an issue in cooler years.
Growers tend to train the vines so the height of the fruiting zone is relatively high compared to many EU vines in cool climates: due to high sunlight, vines don’t need to benefit from light re-radiated from the ground to ripen, and higher zones makes hand harvesting easier.

Question 18

What is typical yields and harvesting method?

Answer 18

Rain, sunshine, UV and fertile soils means yield per vine can be high.
Despite low planting densities (2000-2500 v/ha), overall yields are quite high (70 hL/ha).
Machine common as many on flat land.

Question 19

What are 2 key hazards in NZ?

Answer 19

Rainfall = humidity and fungal, esp in warmer N island.
Birds. Due to very few natural predators, many species thrive, which not only eat the crop, but damage the berries so bacterial and fungal infections can disease the fruit: netting/bird scarers: cost.

Question 20

What effect does wind have on vineyard management?

Answer 20

strong winds increase evapotranspiration, which, when combined with free draining soils, can create the need for irrigation.
Some P will plant trees for windbreaks, but this increases bird problem.

Question 21

What are the 2 lesser hazards in NZ?

Answer 21

Sunburn, due to high levels of UV: leaf positioning critical in providing shade.
Position in Pacific means sometimes exposed to unsettled weather such as tropical cyclones: problems in f+f and harvest: reduce yields + impact quality.

Question 22

What is the stance on sustainability? What’s the initiative?
Org and bio?

Answer 22

Almost all P are part of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand initiative, which includes an independently audited certification programme focused on a growing number of economic, environmental and social parameters.
Growing interest in organics. but less than 5% certified. Some regions with small production have higher, eg Central Otago at 17%, but overshadowed by the large Marlborough with less than 4%.
Some P have embraced bio as model.

Question 23

What is the division of plantings of top 9 varieties, as a %?

Answer 23

Sauv B 62%
PN 16%
Chard 8%
PGris 7%
Merlot 2.5%
Riesling 2%
Syrah 1%
Cab Sauv less than 1%
Gewurz less than 1%

Question 24

What is a key driver for diversity in styles in NZ?

Answer 24

No GI specific winemaking regulations, experimentation with different winemaking techniques to create new styles is common.

Question 25

What is typical winemaking for the pronounced style of Sauv B?

Answer 25

Reduce contact with oxygen by during processing by refrigerating.
Low ferm temps in neutral vessels, usually steel, to retain primary fruit.
Cultured yeasts used to help increase aromatics.
MLC blocked to preserve acidity and avoid creamy notes.
Oak f+m blocked for this style, as is lees.
Some P may have to chaptalise at the start if cool year or picked early.
Ascorbic acid, an antioxidant, and SO2 may be used at bottling for freshness, and bottled under screw cap.

Question 26

What are typical viticultural practices for aromatic Sauv B?

Answer 26

High light levels, adequate water with irrigation as required, careful canopy management to ensure ripe fruit.

High diurnal range means long growing season with ripe fruit with intense aromas but retained acidity.

Row orientation and careful canopy management to produce the range of aromas desired: fully ripe from sunny side of canopy, green pepper herbaceous from shadier side of the canopy.

Slightly earlier picking if proportion of herbaceous aromas required in the blend.

Mechanically harvested fruit results in some crushing and skin contact with the juice during transportation: higher levels of herbaceous.

Question 27

What styles of winemaking are on the rise?

Answer 27

Barrel ferm, lees stirring, partial or full MLC, oak maturation.
Some with skin contact for white grapes: small %ges for up to 2 months for texture and aroma.
(for all white grapes) high levels of solids in fermentation, ambient yeasts, skin contact or oak ageing, especially amongst small volume or premium wines.

Question 28

What is typical winemaking for red wines?

Answer 28

Mid range ferm temps, cultured yeasts, neutral vessels for high volume, fresh, fruity wines.

For premium: PN and Syrah: whole bunches in ferm (herbal or floral) cold maceration before ferm is typical, esp w/ PN for colour and aromas.

Extraction depends on winemaking and stlye.

Premium: matured in French barriques, esp for full bodied CS and Merlot styles.
larger oak increasingly for PN.

Question 29

How are sweet wines often made?

Answer 29

Noble rot is sought after for premium Semillon and Riesling but some P also use long hang times.
Ferm can stop on its own or be halted by SO2 and filtered, to leave some RS.

Question 30

How are wines generally sealed? Which initiative is involved here?

Answer 30

Great majority choose screwcap for part or all of production.
Many outstanding and premium are sealed this way, and 90% of all production:
- historical reasons where TCA incidents were high, but so were premox and bottle variation.

A number of P switched to screwcap and founded the New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative in 2001.

Consumer acceptance is high, and on exports eg UK.

Question 31

Which laws do producers face for viticulture?

Answer 31

Unlike Europe, there’s no strict appellation laws dictating what and where can be grown: P are free to choose any.

Question 32

What came into force in 2017 to protect GIs? How does it work?

Answer 32

The Geographical Indications Act. Registers regional place names for NZ wines to ensure they’re protected overseas. As of July 2017, 18 place names were protected eg Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay.
It allows overseas GIs, such as Prosecco, to be registered in NZ, giving them protected status within NZ.

Question 33

What did Marlborough create in 2018? How does it work?

Answer 33

The trademark ‘Appellation Marlborough Wine’ with the aim of protecting reputation as production volumes and exports continue to grow.
Wines must be made from entirely within Marlborough to agreed maximum yields, certified sustainable, and bottle in NZ country.
Currently only applicable to SB.

Question 34

What problems tempered the wine industry in the early 2000s?

Answer 34

As a relative newcomer to the industry, there’s been a no. of problems.
Following rapid expansion in the 2000s, many small wineries were created that then struggled with the burden of debt in the years following the financial crisis. Number of growers dropped by 40% in the decade to 2019, pointing to consolidation in the industry.

Question 35

How did larger companies fare in 2019? Comparative to medium and small (figures)

Answer 35

Continued to see high levels of profitability.
19 large companies had annual sales above 2m L.
73 medium companies with sales between 200,000 - 2m L.
624 companies with <200,000 L

Question 36

How much wine does NZ produce? Domestic consumption?

Answer 36

around 3m hL, doemstic is 1/6th of that, with Supermarket, hospitality and SWR (in that order) the most important routes to market.
85% of companies use cellar door to build brand, though online sales have now overtaken that.

Question 37

What is the state of exports? Value and volume?

Answer 37

Small domestic market: exports important. Worth over $1.8 bn NZD in 2019, with continued growth year on year.
Largest markets are USA, UK and Australia.
NZ produces 1% of wine globally, but is the 7th largest exporter in value and 10th in volume.
Rapid increase in production (500% 2000-2019) has contributed to the importance of bulk shipping: accounts for 1/3rd of exports, reflecting growth in production volumes and the trend for in-market bottling.

Question 38

NZ has developed a reputation for high quality wines. What effect has this had on exports, and what has caused it?

Answer 38

Consumers are willing to pay above average prices in their countries.
Quality image has been enforced by commitment to sustainable agriculture, particularly grape growing.
Has a global reputation for clean and environmentally friendly credentials, with 98% of P participating in sustainability initiative Sustainable Wine New Zealand (SWNZ): gives edge in markets where consumers are concerned with carbon foot print.

Question 39

How much of exports does Sauv B account for? What risk does this pose?

Answer 39

86% of all exports by volume. Concerns that theres too much reliance on this variety.
However, due to culture of experimentation, new and interesting styles are being made and put to market.

Question 40

What is the common size of companies? Key branding?

Answer 40

Big brands arent as prevalent in NZ as Aus, though some larger P have well known brands globally.
Wine labels often focus on natural beauty of the country, reinforcing the high quality and eco friendly image.

Question 41

Who co-ordinates the marketing of the countries wines? What have been recent projects?

Answer 41

New Zealand Winegrowers, known as New Zealand Wine.
- Focus on bringing influencers to the country to immerse in culture, landscape and wine history.
- Key promotional partners in recent years have been Air New Zealand and the America’s Cup.
- Current focus on promotion to sommeliers around the world.