Dessert wines , sometimes called pudding wines in the United Kingdom, are sweet wines typically served with dessert .
86-423: Prošek is a sweet dessert wine that is traditionally from the southern area of Dalmatia , Croatia . It is made using dried wine grapes in the passito method. Good quality Prošek is usually much more expensive by volume than other wines due to an average of seven times as many grapes being needed to make the same amount of wine. While it can vary in the maximum amount, the alcohol level needed to be certified as
172-528: A 1984 government initiative paid growers to pull up vines, but many growers used the grants to swap these varieties with more fashionable ones, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, often keeping the old rootstock . This, combined with the introduction throughout the 1980s of much improved canopy management techniques to reduce leaf vigour and improve grape quality, set the New Zealand wine industry on course for recovery and greatly improved quality. By
258-724: A Geographical Indication (GI) classification for New Zealand wine, equivalent to the European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) classification and the American Viticultural Areas in the United States . In 2017, a total of 18 applications were lodged with the GI register at the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand , and registrations were complete by early 2019. Northland is
344-465: A Geographical Indication since October 2017, is one of New Zealand's smallest. It contains two GI sub-regions, Gladstone and Martinborough, as well as Masterton and Opaki . Martinborough was the original area planted on the basis of careful scientific study in the 1970s, which identified its soils and climate as perfectly suited to the cultivation of Pinot Noir. As a consequence, many of the vineyards established there are older than their counterparts in
430-534: A dessert, but bakery sweets can make a good match, particularly with a little bitterness like biscuits that are dunked in Vin Santo. A development of this matching of contrasts is a rich savoury dish like the foie gras that is a traditional partner to Sauternes . White dessert wines are generally served somewhat chilled, but can be easily served too cold. Red dessert wines are served at room temperature or slightly chilled. New Zealand wine New Zealand wine
516-438: A distinctive effect on both New Zealand wine styles and the domestic palate. The early wines, which made a stir internationally, were lauded for the intensity and purity of the fruit in the wine. Indeed, the strength of flavour in the wine accommodated very dry styles, despite intense acidity. While stainless steel did not produce the intensity of fruit, it allowed for its exploitation. Even today, New Zealand white wines tend toward
602-486: A great deal of complexity, with aromas and flavours not common in New Zealand wine and normally associated with Burgundy wine . Notable producers include Akarua, Felton Road, Chard Farm and Mount Difficulty. In a blind tasting of New Zealand Pinot Noir in 2006, Michael Cooper reported that of the top ten wines, five came from Central Otago, four from Marlborough and one from Waipara. This compares with all top ten wines coming from Marlborough in an equivalent blind tasting in
688-515: A greater complexity. In an article in Decanter (September 2014), Bob Campbell suggests regional styles are starting to emerge within New Zealand Pinot Noir. Marlborough, with by far the largest plantings of Pinot, produces wines that are quite aromatic, red fruit in particular red cherry, with a firm tannic structure that provides cellaring potential. New Zealand red wines are also made from
774-628: A long time to ferment. The resulting wines are very sweet, but balanced by their acidity. The minuscule yields mean they tend to be very expensive. The most famous are German Eiswein and Canadian Icewine, but ice wines are also made in the United States, Austria , Croatia , Czech Republic , Slovakia , Slovenia , Hungary , Italy , Australia , France and New Zealand in smaller quantities. The primary distinction between botrytized wines and other non-fortified sweet wines, such as late-harvest wines, ice wines (eiswein), or straw wines, lies in
860-507: A notable feature of botrytized wines is their high acid content, which prevents them from tasting cloying , even with sugar levels often exceeding 200 g/l Some of the most famous dessert wines, such as Tokaji Aszú of Tokaj-Hegyalja in Hungary , Château d'Yquem of Sauternes , and Seewinkel of Austria, are made using grapes mouldy with Botrytis cinerea , which sucks water out of the grape whilst imparting flavours of honey and apricot to
946-585: A phase in the 1980s and 1990s of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon planting and wine production by large producers such as Corbans , McWilliams, and Mission Estate. As viticultural techniques were improved and tailored to New Zealand's maritime climate, other Bordeaux-style grapes were planted, and a switch of emphasis made to the more suitable, earlier-ripening Merlot. Today, Merlot is the second most planted red variety after Pinot Noir, accounting for 1,087 hectares (2,690 acres), outweighing Cabernet Sauvignon plantings by five to one. Typically, these Bordeaux blends come from
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#17328946247871032-465: A recognized protected label. Italian politicians immediately denounced the decision, with one regional governor describing the move "as if they wanted to take away Ferrari." Dessert wine There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal, as opposed to the white fortified wines ( fino and amontillado sherry ) drunk before
1118-604: A third of what it was in the early 2000s and has been overtaken by a tripling of Syrah planting in that time. In the same time period, Sauvignon Blanc has grown more than five-fold and Pinot Noir has doubled. Whilst today's fashion has turned from Bordeaux blends to Pinot Noir, it also indicates the marginality of Cabernet Sauvignon in New Zealand conditions. There are some producers dedicated to establishing other red grape varieties. New Zealand has small plantings of Tempranillo , Pinotage, Montepulciano and Sangiovese in Hawke's Bay and
1204-501: A total area of 1,067 hectares (2,640 acres), or about three per cent of the New Zealand total. Nearly half of this area is Pinot Noir, the remainder mostly Sauvignon Blanc, with smaller areas of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and Syrah. Martinborough is a small wine village located 75 kilometres (47 mi) east of Wellington by road, in the South Wairarapa. The combination of topography, geology, climate and human effort has led to
1290-491: A true dessert wine must be at least 15%. The composition is typically of Bogdanuša , Maraština , and/or Vugava (all native Croatian white grapes) with higher-end versions being a blend of the base white grapes and Plavac Mali (a red Croatian grape). Although the word Prošek sounds similar to the Italian sparkling wine Prosecco , there are no similarities between the products either with regards to production method, style, or
1376-452: A vineyard, where grapes are grown on the land surrounding a central simply owned or family-owned estate with its own discrete viticultural and winemaking equipment and storage, is only one model. While the European cooperative model (where district or AOC village winemaking takes place in a centralized production facility) is uncommon, contract growing of fruit for winemakers has been a feature of
1462-416: Is a small region covering the greater Auckland Region , with a total vineyard area in 2022 of 285 hectares (700 acres). The region mostly consists of small boutique wineries, and produces some of New Zealand's finest Chardonnay white wines, as well as red Bordeaux-style wines and Syrah. Auckland has three sub-regions established as geographical indications: Waiheke Island , Kumeu , and Matakana . Although
1548-400: Is common to see an Auckland producer market a "Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc" or a Marlborough producer market a "Gisborne Chardonnay". Contract growing is an example of the use of indigenous agro-industrial methods that predate the New Zealand wine industry. Another example of the adaptation of NZ methods toward the new industry was the universal use of stainless steel in winemaking adapted from
1634-504: Is currently out of fashion. But most of the Muscats of ancient times were probably made this way, including the famous Constantia of South Africa. Honey was added to wine in Roman times, for sweetness and to increase the final strength of the wine. Today sugar is usually added in order to boost the alcohol levels of flabby, unripe wines rather than for sweetness, although a degree of chaptalization
1720-476: Is dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc. Nearly 90% of total production is exported, chiefly to the United States, Britain and Australia, reaching a record NZ$ 1.92 billion in export revenue in 2020. Winemaking and viticulture date back to New Zealand's colonial era . New Zealand's first vineyard was planted in 1819 by missionary Samuel Marsden in Kerikeri . James Busby , New Zealand's governing British Resident in
1806-419: Is most well known internationally for red wines made from traditional French varieties. After Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir has become New Zealand's second most planted variety, while in the warmer regions, particularly Hawke's Bay and Waiheke Island, Syrah and Bordeaux-style blends of mainly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon have been gaining recognition. The late 1970s were early in the modern wine industry, and
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#17328946247871892-507: Is now well established; Oz Clarke wrote New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was "arguably the best in the world", and Mark Oldman wrote "New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is like a child who inherits the best of both parents—exotic aromas found in ... the New World and the pungency and limy acidity of an Old World Sauvignon Blanc like Sancerre." Wine regions are located mostly in free draining alluvial valleys —Hawke's Bay, Martinborough , Nelson ,
1978-452: Is permitted in the wines of many countries. German wines must declare whether they are 'natural' or not; in any case, chaptalization is banned from the top tiers of German wines. The 'reserve of sweetness' is a German technique in which unfermented must (grape juice) is added to the wine after fermentation. This increases the sweetness of the final wine and dilutes the alcohol somewhat—in Germany
2064-731: Is planted mostly in Marlborough, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, with the remainder in the South Island. Some of the initial plantings of Pinot Gris were identified later as Flora ; indeed, some Auckland winemakers have incorporated this mishap into their Flora wine names, such as "The Rogue" from Ascension and "The Impostor" from Omaha Bay Vineyards. Other white wine varietals grown in New Zealand include (in descending order of vineyard area) Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Viognier , and less commonly Chenin Blanc , Albariño , Arneis and Sémillon . Riesling
2150-517: Is produced in New Zealand. In 1956, Selaks in Kumeu made the first commercial sparkling wine called Champelle. In 1975, Daniel Le Brun, a Champagne maker, emigrated to New Zealand to begin producing méthode traditionelle in Marlborough. The suitability of the Marlborough terroir and success of the wines produced over the next 20 years were sufficient to attract investment from large Champagne producers, most notably Deutz and Moët & Chandon . Today,
2236-484: Is produced in several of its distinct winegrowing regions . As an island country in the South Pacific Ocean , New Zealand has a largely maritime climate , although its elongated geography produces considerable regional variation from north to south. Like many other New World wines , New Zealand wine is usually produced and labelled as single varietal wines, or if blended, winemakers list the varietal components on
2322-521: Is produced predominantly in Martinborough and the South Island, as is Gewürztraminer, although it is also planted extensively in Gisborne. Chenin Blanc was once more important, but the viticultural peculiarities of the variety, particularly its unpredictable cropping in New Zealand, have led to its disfavour. Nevertheless, good examples exist from Esk Valley, Margrain and Millton Estate. Today, New Zealand
2408-631: Is taxed more highly as a result. This dates back to when the US wine industry only made dessert wines by fortification, but such a classification is outdated now that modern yeast and viticulture can produce dry wines over 15% without fortification (and German dessert wines can contain half that amount of alcohol). Makers of dessert wines want to produce a wine containing high levels of both sugar and alcohol. Since all winemaking creates alcohol from fermentation of sugars they are typically traded off. However, there are many ways to increase relative sugar levels in
2494-441: Is typically wetter, but wine regions have developed in rain shadows and in the east, on the opposite coast from the prevailing moisture-laden wind. The wine regions of New Zealand tend to experience cool nights even in the hottest of summers. The effect of consistently cool nights is to produce fruit, which is nearly always high in acidity. New Zealand's winemakers employ a variety of production techniques. The traditional concept of
2580-554: Is unique because it is a raisin wine that is then fortified and aged in a solera system like other sweet wine from Andalucia. Other sweet sherries (is a blend wine) such as Bristol Cream may also be drunk as dessert wine. The production of vins doux naturels was perfected by Arnaud de Villeneuve at the University of Montpellier in the 13th century. They are now quite common in the Languedoc-Roussillon of southwest France. As
2666-463: Is where it was first produced. Germany may have later discovered the same process independently. Noble rot is responsible for many other dessert wines, including Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) of the German wine classification , French Monbazillac , Austrian Beerenauslese, Ausbruch and other TBA-type wines from all over the world. A general rule is that the wine should be sweeter than
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2752-650: The Wairau and Awatere valleys of Marlborough , and Canterbury —with the notable exceptions of Waiheke Island , Kawarau Gorge in Central Otago. The alluvial deposits are typically the local sandstone called greywacke , which makes up much of the mountainous spine of New Zealand. Sometimes the alluvial nature of the soil is important, as in Hawke's Bay where the deposits known as the Gimblett Gravels represent such quality characteristics that they are often mentioned on
2838-794: The 1830s, planted vineyards on his land near Waitangi , having earlier established what is now the Hunter Valley wine region during his time in Australia. He was producing wine for locally stationed British soldiers in 1836. In 1851, French Marist missionaries established a vineyard in Hawke's Bay for making Communion wine . Now part of the Mission Estate Winery , it is the oldest commercial vineyard in New Zealand. Portrait artist William Beetham planted Pinot Noir and Hermitage ( Syrah ) grapes at his Lansdowne, Masterton vineyard in 1881. In 1895,
2924-421: The 1960s saw the end of the New Zealand policy known as the " six o'clock swill ", where pubs and bars were open for only an hour after the working day ended, and closed all day Sunday. The same legislative reform saw the introduction of BYO ("bring your own") licences for restaurants, which had a marked effect on New Zealanders' appreciation and consumption of wine. Finally, the advent of jet airliners in
3010-675: The 1970s, some of these inhibiting factors underwent important changes. In 1973, Britain entered the European Economic Community which required ending the favourable trade terms for New Zealand's meat and dairy exports. This led ultimately to a dramatic restructuring of the agricultural economy, and diversification away from traditional "primary" products—dairy, meat and wool—to products with potentially higher economic returns. Vines, which produce best in low moisture and low soil fertility environments, were seen as suitable for areas that had previously been marginal pasture . The end of
3096-472: The 1980s, wineries in New Zealand, especially in the Marlborough region, were producing outstanding Sauvignon Blanc. It was in 1985 that the Sauvignon Blanc from Cloudy Bay Vineyards finally garnered international attention and critical acclaim for New Zealand wine. Wine writer George Taber recounts Cloudy Bay is "what many people consider to be the world's best Sauvignon Blanc". New Zealand's reputation
3182-712: The Canterbury region has witnessed the development of Pinot Noir as the dominant red variety, particularly in the now dominant Waipara sub-region. Producers include Waipara Hills, Pegasus Bay , Waipara Springs, Muddy Water, Greystone, Omihi Hills and Black Estate. The next region to excel with Pinot Noir was Martinborough, 75 kilometres (47 mi) east of Wellington in the Wairarapa region. Several vineyards, including Palliser Estate, Martinborough Vineyards, Murdoch James Estate (now Luna Estate) and Ata Rangi consistently produced interesting and increasingly complex wine from Pinot Noir at
3268-661: The French experience of the affinity between the grape type and the chalky soil on the Côte-d'Or . Even the greywacke alluvial soils in the Waipara valley floor have a higher calcium carbonate concentration than the Côte-d'Or, indicated by the milky water that flows in the Waipara River. The Kawarau valley has a thin and patchy topsoil over a bedrock that is schist . Early growers blasted holes into
3354-782: The Gisborne GI established in October 2017 covers most of the East Cape Gisborne District , most of the 1,191 hectares (2,940 acres) of vineyard area in 2020 is concentrated in a relatively small area around Gisborne city . The fertile Gisborne region originally grew prodigious grape yields throughout the mid-20th Century, which was mostly used to make fortified and cask wines. In the 1980s, a shift away from cask wine for better quality, bottled still wine meant that huge areas of bulk varieties, most notably Müller-Thurgau, were uprooted and replaced with Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer, for which
3440-748: The Grenaches less so. In ancient Carthage, a sweet wine called passum was made from air-dried grapes and across the Malta Channel from the site of Carthage similar wines are still made, called Moscato Passito di Pantelleria. Such wines were described by the Romans. Northern Italy is home to a number of 'passito' wines, where the grapes are dried on straw, on racks, or hung from the rafters. These wines include Vin Santo (into which almond biscuits, ' cantucci ', are traditionally dunked), Sciachetrà, Recioto di Soave (drunk with
3526-583: The Hungarians and the Germans have similar stories of how the harvest was delayed for some reason, but the mouldy grapes were vinified anyway and then found to be delicious. Given that propensity to noble rot was a factor in Hungarian vineyard demarcations some 50 years before a messenger was supposedly mugged on his way to Schloss Johannisberg in Germany and aszú inventory predates it by about 200 years, Hungary's Tokaj
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3612-653: The Larose from Stonyridge, the Dreadnought and Ironclad from Man O' War, wines from Destiny Bay, and Goldie Estate. In Marlborough, Hans Herzog Estate is famous for making the Spirit of Marlborough, and examples of Bordeaux blends can be found as far south as Waipara, where the Maestro from Pegasus Bay also demonstrates the shift from Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot predominant blends. The amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in production has dropped to
3698-597: The Le Brun family continues to produce well-awarded méthode sparkling wine, operating as No. 1 Family Estate, after Lion acquired the Daniel Le Brun name. In 2013, several Marlborough producers established Méthode Marlborough, a collaborative organisation to standardise and promote the brand both domestically and internationally. Although the majority of méthode traditionelle sparkling wines in New Zealand are made in Marlborough, there are also examples from throughout
3784-525: The New Zealand government's Department of Agriculture invited the expert consultant viticulturist and oenologist Romeo Bragato to investigate winemaking possibilities. After tasting Beetham's Hermitage, he concluded that New Zealand and the Wairarapa in particular were "pre-eminently suited to viticulture." His French wife, Marie Zelie Hermance Frere Beetham, supported Beetham in his endeavours. Their partnership and innovation to pursue winemaking helped form
3870-436: The New Zealand industry since the start of the winemaking boom in the 1970s. Indeed, many well-known producers began as contract growers. Many fledgling producers started out using contract fruit while waiting for their own vines to mature enough to produce production-quality fruit. Some producers use contract fruit to supplement the range of varieties they market, even using fruit from other geographical regions. For example, it
3956-463: The Special Reserve from Lindauer. More recently, exports of méthode have been declining, halving in volume between 2005 and 2011, and now making up less than one percent of total New Zealand exports. This is due partly to a rise in popularity and production of sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, a new style of sparkling New Zealand wine. New law came into force in New Zealand in 2017 that established
4042-474: The bare rock of north-facing slopes with miners' caps to provide planting holes for the vines. These conditions necessitate irrigation and make the vines work hard for nutrients. Irrigation, low cropping techniques, and the thermal effect of the rock produces great intensity for the grapes and subsequent wine. The wine regions in New Zealand stretch from latitudes 36°S in the north ( Northland ) (comparable in latitude to Jerez, Spain), to 45°S ( Central Otago ) in
4128-465: The basis of modern New Zealand's viticulture practices. Dalmatian immigrants arriving in New Zealand in the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought with them viticultural knowledge and planted vineyards in West and North Auckland. Typically, their vineyards produced table wine and fortified wine to suit the palates of their communities. For the first half of the 20th century, winemaking in New Zealand
4214-492: The classic Bordeaux varieties, mainly Merlot, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc , Malbec , and Petit Verdot . Syrah wines from Hawke's Bay, particularly the Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle sub-regions, as well as farther north from Waiheke Island, have also gained a good reputation internationally. Early success in the Hawke's Bay Region in the 1960s by McWilliams and in the 1980s by Te Mata Estate , led to
4300-427: The climate unusual in the typically maritime conditions in New Zealand, and ideal for growing Pinot Noir. Indeed, recent years have seen Pinot Noir from Central Otago win numerous international awards and accolades, and excite the interest of British wine commentators including Jancis Robinson and Oz Clarke. Not only did the wines have the distinctive acidity and abundant fruit of New Zealand wines, but they demonstrated
4386-466: The comparatively low annual sunshine hours to be found in New Zealand discouraged the planting of red varieties. Despite this, some held great hopes for Pinot Noir. Initial results were mixed because of limited access to good clones, yet the Saint Helena 1984 Pinot Noir was notable enough that the Canterbury region was thought to become the New Zealand home for Pinot Noir. While the early excitement passed,
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#17328946247874472-696: The drier end of the spectrum. New Zealand has long been best known for its Sauvignon Blanc, which dominates its wine industry. In 2017, its vines took up 22,085 hectares (54,570 acres) of vineyard area, a full 60% of New Zealand's total grape planting, and Sauvignon Blanc wine made up 86% of the nation's exports. Many critics regard New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc as among the best in the world. Historically, Sauvignon Blanc has been used in many French regions in both AOC and Vin de pays wine, and famously Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé . Following Robert Mondavi 's lead in renaming Californian Sauvignon Blanc Fumé Blanc (partially in reference to Pouilly Fumé, but also to denote
4558-514: The end of the 1980s and into the 1990s. At around this time, the first plantings of Pinot Noir in Central Otago occurred in the Kawarau Gorge. Central Otago had a long (for New Zealand) history as a producer of quality stone fruit, particularly cherries. Significantly further south than all other wine regions in New Zealand, it benefited from being surrounded by mountain ranges which increased both its daily and seasonal temperature variations, making
4644-427: The extensive range and richness of aroma compounds generated by Botrytis cinerea fungal infection of the grapes. Significant differences are also evident in other components, like glycerol and acid composition, due to microbial activity. Descriptors frequently used for these wines highlight flavours of peach, apricot, pear, quince, raisin, and honey, along with unique "botrytis" or roti characteristics. Additionally,
4730-620: The final wine can contain no more than 15% Süssreserve by volume. Süssreserve allows winemakers to fully ferment the wine without having to worry about stopping fermentation before all the sugar has gone. Since sulphites are used to stop fermentation, this technique reduces the usage of sulphites. Süssreserve is used by other makers of German-style wines, particularly in New Zealand . The main fortified wines drunk with dessert are sweet Montilla-Moriles & sherry , particularly Pedro Ximénez , and vins doux naturels. The Pedro Ximenez dessert wine
4816-434: The final wine: In the absence of other techniques, makers of dessert wine have to produce their sugar in the vineyard. Some grape varieties, such as Muscat , Ortega and Huxelrebe , naturally produce much more sugar than others. Environmental conditions have a big effect on ultimate sugar levels; the vigneron can help by leaving the grapes on the vine until they are fully ripe , and by green harvesting and pruning to expose
4902-410: The food it is served with—a perfectly ripe peach has been described as the ideal partner for many dessert wines, whereas it makes sense not to drink wine at all with many chocolate- and toffee-based dishes. Red dessert wines like Recioto della Valpolicella and fortified wines like the vin doux naturel Muscats are the best matches for such difficult-to-pair desserts. Alternatively, the wine itself can be
4988-509: The future wine. The fungus requires specific conditions to produce noble rot ; if it is too damp, the same fungus causes destructive grey rot . Vignerons endeavour to maximise the amount of noble rot without losing the whole crop to grey rot. Typically, noble rot forms best in conditions with regular morning mist , normally from a nearby lake or the sea. The wait for noble rot to form means these wines are usually harvested late . The first noble rot wines were likely created by accident—both
5074-510: The grapes used, and there is no relation between the origins of the two names. Because of the name similarity, on 1 July 2013, the EU banned the use of name Prošek in all member states. Croatia filed a complaint, as a Croatian winegrower claimed that the wine had been produced "for at least 2000 years". In September 2021, the European Commission agreed to reconsider whether Prošek should be accorded
5160-412: The hotter and drier regions of New Zealand, largely in the Hawke's Bay Region. Wines that typify the best of Hawke's Bay include Elephant Hill's Airavata, Te Mata Estate's Coleraine, Craggy Range's Sophia, Newton Forrest Estate's Cornerstone, Esk Valley's The Terraces and Villa Maria's Reserve Merlot and Cabernet. Waiheke Island, whilst a very small viticultural region, also produces acclaimed red wines like
5246-594: The label. New Zealand is best known for its Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc , and more recently its dense, concentrated Pinot Noir from Marlborough, Martinborough and Central Otago . While New Zealand wine traces its history to the early 19th century, the modern wine industry in New Zealand began in the mid-20th century and expanded rapidly in the early 21st century, growing by 17% a year from 2000 to 2020. In 2020, New Zealand produced 329 million litres (87,000,000 US gal) from 39,935 hectares (98,680 acres) of vineyard area, of which 25,160 ha (about two-thirds)
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#17328946247875332-598: The late 1960s and early 1970s ushered in the OE ("overseas experience") , where young, typically well-educated New Zealanders spent time living and working overseas, often in Europe. The ensuing exposure to wine while abroad subsequently stimulated demand within New Zealand. In 1973, Montana Wines, now Brancott Estate owned by Pernod Ricard , planted Marlborough's first vineyards and produced its first Sauvignon Blanc in 1979, labelled by year of production ( vintage ) and grape variety, in
5418-601: The local version of panettone ) and the sweet red Recioto della Valpolicella (which stands up to chocolate better than most wine). Across the Alps, the French make 'straw wine' ( vin de paille ) in the Jura, Rhone and Alsace ; the Spanish start off making a raisin wine with Pedro Ximénez before fortifying it; the Cypriots have their ancient Commandaria ; and there have been recent experiments with
5504-454: The meal and the red fortified wines ( port and madeira ) drunk after it. Thus, most fortified wines are regarded as distinct from dessert wines, but some of the less-strong fortified white wines, such as Pedro Ximénez sherry and Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise , are regarded as honorary dessert wines. In the United States, by contrast, a dessert wine is legally defined as any wine over 14% alcohol by volume , which includes all fortified wines—and
5590-399: The most northerly wine region in New Zealand, and thus closest to the equator . A Geographical Indication since October 2017, it is also the smallest GI, producing 269 tonnes in 2020 from an area of 71 hectares (180 acres) under vines. Although Chardonnay is the most planted variety, Northland is most well known for ripe Syrah red wines, and white wines from Pinot Gris, which together comprise
5676-409: The names suggest, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise , Muscat de Rivesaltes , Muscat de Frontignan , Muscat de Lunel , Muscat de Mireval and Muscat de St-Jean Minervois are all made from the white Muscat grape, whilst Banyuls and Maury are made from red Grenache . Regardless of the grape, fermentation is stopped with up to 10% of 95% grape spirit. The Muscats are made in a somewhat oxidised style,
5762-441: The norms and standards of the New Zealand dairy industry. There was an existing small-scale industrial infrastructure ready for winemakers to employ economically. While current winemaking technology is almost universally sterile and hygienic worldwide, the natural antibiotic properties of alcohol production were more heavily relied upon in the 1970s when the New Zealand wine industry started. This pervasive use of stainless steel had
5848-454: The particular qualities of a vintage have tended to blur any distinction of terroir. Almost every region is represented among the most highly rated New Zealand Chardonnays, which include wines from Kumeu River Estate (Kumeu), Church Road, Clearview, Sacred Hill, Villa Maria and Te Mata Estate (Hawke's Bay), Ata Rangi (Martinborough), Fromm (Marlborough), Neudorf (Nelson), Millton Estate (Gisborne). Although Chardonnay may be less fashionable than it
5934-531: The previous year. Cooper suggested that this has to do with more Central Otago production becoming available in commercial quantities, than the relative qualities of the regions' Pinot Noir. As is the case for other New Zealand wine, New Zealand Pinot Noir is fruit-driven, forward and early maturing in the bottle. It tends to be quite full bodied (for the variety), very approachable and oak maturation tends to be restrained. High quality examples of New Zealand Pinot Noir are distinguished by savoury, earthy flavours with
6020-479: The region becoming one of New Zealand's premier wine regions, despite its small size, particularly for Pinot Noir. The growing season from flowering to harvest is amongst the longest in New Zealand. Naturally breezy conditions control vine vigour, creating lower yields of grapes with greater intensity. A genuine cool climate, with a long, dry autumn, provides ideal ripening conditions for Pinot Noir and other varietals, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Syrah. Most of
6106-424: The region is well known today. It is also the world's most easterly vine-producing region. Hawke's Bay is New Zealand's oldest and second-largest wine region, and includes the Gimblett Gravels, Bridge Pa Triangle and Te Mata Special Character Zone sub-regions. It is best known for its Merlot and Syrah red wines, and white wines mainly from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. The Wairarapa winegrowing region,
6192-558: The rest of New Zealand. Quartz Reef is based in Central Otago, Church Road in Hawke's Bay, and Lindauer (originally established in Gisborne now also owned by Lion ); there are makers as far north as the Auckland regions as well. Exports of New Zealand sparkling wines are chiefly to the United Kingdom, where the best-known examples there are the Pelorus from Cloudy Bay, now owned by LVMH , and
6278-563: The rest of the Wairarapa. In general, the area lies in the rain shadow of the Tararua Range , which gives it a warm climate with relatively low rainfall. Subtle differences are seen in the wines from the South Wairarapa (which includes Martinborough), which has more maritime influences, to those grown farther north in Gladstone and Masterton. By 2020, the Wairarapa had 126 vineyards with
6364-490: The smokiness of the wine produced from flinty soil and oak barrel ageing), there was a trend for oaked Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand during the late 1980s. Strong oaky overtones dropped out of fashion through the 1990s but have since made a comeback, with several makers now offering oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc—Greywacke, Dog Point, te Pa (Sauvignon Blanc 'Oke'), Sacred Hill (Sauvage), Jackson Estate (Grey Ghost), Hans Herzog (Sur Lie) and Saint Clair (Barrique). New Zealand pioneered
6450-419: The south (comparable in latitude to Bordeaux , France). New Zealand's climate is maritime , meaning that the sea moderates the weather, producing cooler summers and milder winters than would be expected at similar latitudes in Europe and North America. Maritime climates tend to demonstrate higher variability with cold snaps possible at any time of the year and warm periods even in the depth of winter. The climate
6536-501: The style in South Africa and the US . Most wine laws require temperatures below at most −7 °C (19 °F) before the grapes for ice wine can be picked. At such temperatures, some water in the grapes freezes but the sugars and other solids remain dissolved in the remaining juice. If the grapes are pressed while frozen, a very concentrated must can result, which needs special yeast and
6622-506: The style of wine producers in Australia. That year, superior quality wines of Müller-Thurgau , Riesling and Pinotage were also produced. Good Cabernet Sauvignon wine from Auckland and Hawke's Bay bolstered the industry with ever-increasing investment, vineyard plantings, rising land prices and greater local interest and pride. The result of this boom was over-planting, particularly in hybrids and less well regarded but high yield varietals such as Müller-Thurgau. Hoping to address this issue,
6708-598: The sunniest climate in New Zealand, with an annual average sunshine total of over 2400 hours, approximately equivalent to Tuscany . The long autumns permit the production of fine late-harvest wines. There are two sub-regions in Nelson: Waimea and Moutere Valley. Notable wineries from the region include Neudorf Vineyards, awarded Raymond Chan's 2012 Winery of the Year and Seifried Estate Winery , who have won Champion Open White Wine, Champion Sauvignon Blanc and Best Wine - Nelson at
6794-623: The top three planted varieties. Some Northland wineries are also making wine from warmer climate grapes such as Montepulciano, Chambourcin and Pinotage. The combination of high summer temperatures and high rainfall can be challenging for viticulture; although irrigation is not needed, the humidity can encourage some pests and diseases. The fertile soils and Northland climate also results in high vine productivity, requiring good vineyard management to limit yields in order to ensure better quality wines. Consequently, Northland tends to produce ripe wines, with low acidity. The Auckland Geographical Indication
6880-405: The use of screwtop closures in fine wines because of the frequency of quality issues affecting wines being shipped long distances with cork closures. Chardonnay is produced as far south as Central Otago, but plantings increase moving further north. There is little discernible difference in styles of Chardonnay between the New Zealand wine regions; individual winemakers' recipes, use of oak, and
6966-485: The warmer Auckland regions. Most New Zealand wine producers that produce Pinot Noir or Merlot also produce a rosé style wine, although it is sometimes found made from other red varieties. New Zealand rosé is made to drink immediately rather than age, resulting in the crisp, fresh, fruit-forward flavours popular with the New Zealand public. Well rated examples are from Forrest, Isabel, Ti Point, Whitehaven and Rapaura Springs. Méthode traditionelle sparkling wine
7052-542: The wine label. The Gimblett Gravels is a former riverbed with very stony soils. The effect of the stones is to lower fertility, lower the water table, and act as a heat store that tempers the cool sea breezes that Hawke's Bay experiences. This creates a significantly warmer mesoclimate . Waipara , in Canterbury, represents another soil type. The Omihi Hills , part of the Torlesse group of limestone deposits, are located here. Viticulturists have planted Pinot Noir here because of
7138-640: The wineries are on the Martinborough terrace, a raised alluvial terrace of the nearby Ruamahanga River . Martinborough wineries are relatively small and typically family-owned, with the focus on producing quality rather than quantity. Relatively small yields enable Martinborough winemakers to devote themselves to handcrafting superior wines. Among the many long-established wineries, several, including Martinborough Vineyard, Schubert Wines, Te Kairanga, Ata Rangi, Palliser Estate, Luna Estate, Dry River, Escarpment, Te Hera and Craggy Range have become internationally recognised as premium producers of Pinot Noir. Nelson has
7224-510: The young grapes to the sun. Green harvesting reduces the number of bunches on a vine early in the summer, so that the sugar production of the leaves is divided between fewer bunches. While the vigneron cannot control the sun, a sunny year regulates sugar levels. The semi-sweet Auslese wines in the German wine classification are probably the best example of this approach; most modern winemakers perceive that their customers want either fully dry or 'properly' sweet dessert wines, so 'leave it to nature'
7310-411: Was a marginal economic activity. Land use during this period was primarily animal agriculture, and the exports of dairy, meat, and wool dominated the economy. Most New Zealanders were of British descent, and favoured beer and spirits ; the temperance movement further reduced the national appreciation for wine. The Great Depression of the 1930s also hampered the growth of the fledgling industry. By
7396-400: Was ten years ago (it has declined in vineyard area in the last ten years, losing ground to Pinot Gris ), winemakers in 2016 reported strong sales and a recent upswing. It also commands higher prices than any other New Zealand white wine variety. Pinot Gris emerged in the early 2000s from almost nowhere to the country's fourth most planted variety in 2017, having overtaken Riesling in 2007. It
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