![]() This means that wine makers have to follow certain parameters in order to label their wines correctly. Wines in New Zealand are protected by the Geographical Indication Registration Act. Vineyard in Marlborough, New Zealand NEW ZEALAND WINE LAWS ![]() The summer makes way by moderate and wet winters. ![]() The summers in New Zealand are hot and humid, which helps the grapes reach optimum ripeness. The best way to describe the far north island temperature is ‘warm maritime’. Temperatures vary slightly between the two islands, as the north mountain is slightly hotter, especially in the far north. All in all, the word ‘maritime’ sums up the climate in New Zealand. The various mountain ranges that run through both islands help shield the east of the islands from harsh westerly winds that carry rainfall. The country itself is made up of two narrow islands, which invites ocean airs to help moderate the temperatures of the vines. These days, there’s close to 90,000 hectares which still isn’t huge. This is the equivalent to a third of the amount of vineyards in Bordeaux. However, to put it into perspective on just how small the wine industry still is in New Zealand, in 2010 there were just over 30,000 hectares of vineyard in the country. Between 20, the amount of vineyards in New Zealand more than doubled. Wine production in New Zealand started to increase towards the end of the 20th century but it wasn’t until the turn of the century when it started to explode. Up until then they had only really been producing wine made from Muller Thurgau. When international trade laws/agreements changed when farmers started to see a potential in expanding the industry, so they started to experiment with planting different varieties. Up until the 1970’s, New Zealand wine production was mainly for local consumption. With this in mind, we thought we would take the time to explore all the things we love about New Zealand wine, including regions, grape varieties and our favourite producers! A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO NEW ZEALAND WINE The Marlborough region in particular has become renowned for Sauvignon Blanc production, however that is just the tip of the iceberg. Wine from New Zealand has increased in popularity exponentially over the last 10 years.
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