Wine region | |
Type | Geographical Indication |
---|---|
Year established | 1851; GI established 2018 [1] |
Country | New Zealand |
Sub-regions | Gimblett Gravels, Bridge Pa Triangle, Te Mata Special Character Zone |
Size of planted vineyards | 4,681 hectares (11,570 acres) (2018) [2] |
Grapes produced | Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier [2] |
No. of wineries | 91 [3] |
Comments | GI established 2018; wineries first established as early as 1851. |
The Hawke's Bay wine region is New Zealand's oldest and second-largest wine-production region, on the east coast of the North Island. Production reached 41,000 tonnes in 2018 from 4,681 hectares (11,570 acres) of planted vines, representing 10.2% of total national production. [3] Some of the oldest wineries still operating in New Zealand, including Te Mata Estate, Church Road, and Mission Estate, were established in the Hawke's Bay area in the late 19th century. Despite this, it was only established as a geographical indication (GI) in 2018. [1] The GI protects any wine produced within the boundaries of the entire Hawke's Bay Region, but in practice the vineyards are chiefly concentrated in the plains and low hills surrounding the cities of Napier and Hastings. [4]
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Red wines made from Merlot blends and Syrah are consistently well reviewed. Varietal white wines from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Viognier are also produced. [7]
There are several sub-regions within the Hawke's Bay GI, most notably Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle, which have developed reputations for fine red wines. [8]
The Gimblett Gravels is an area of approximately 800 hectares (2,000 acres) defined by the extent of a particular local soil stratum known as the Omahu Gravels. It is one of the few geographical indications in the world defined by a soil type rather than the usual geographical, municipal or political boundaries. (N.B. this last part is incorrect as of November of 2023, as far as being a GI officially recognized by the New Zealand Intellection Property Office, the organization that regulates GIs.) [9] The designation is controlled as a registered trademark owned by the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association, available only to its members. Membership is open to any producer that can show their vineyards are on the Gimblett Gravels soil (and thus by definition within the Gimblett Gravels area), and membership then allows the use of the label designation on any wines sourced (minimum 95%) from these vineyards. There are no other grape growing or winemaking regulations. [10] Notable producers are Te Awa, Villa Maria, Trinity Hill, Newton Forrest Estate, Craggy Range, Esk Valley, Church Road, Sacred Hill, and CJ Pask.
Also known as the Ngatarawa Triangle, the Bridge Pa Triangle wine district is approximately 2,100 hectares (5,200 acres) traced by three roads: Ngatarawa Road, State Highway 50 and Maraekakaho Road. The area adjoins the Gimblett Gravels to the north, and contains the old riverbed of the nearby Ngaruroro River before it changed course after an earthquake in the 1860s. The soils include free draining alluvial gravels and shallow clay-loam soils over Lake Taupō pumice tephras. Vineyards were first established in the area in 1981 by Alwyn Corban and Garry Glazebrook, who founded Ngatarawa Wines. Their successes attracted others to the area, and the Bridge Pa Triangle Wine District organisation was eventually incorporated in 2015. Membership allows producers to use the Bridge Pa Triangle logo and branding on the label as long as the wine has a minimum of 85% of the grapes sourced from the area. There are no other grape or wine-production regulations. [11] Notable wineries in the area include Alpha Domus, Sileni Estates, Red Metal and Ash Ridge. Several other producers make single vineyard wines from their plantings in the Bridge Pa Triangle area, most notably the award-winning Syrah from Te Mata Estate's "Bullnose" vineyard.
The Te Mata Special Character Zone is an area of hills adjacent to Havelock North and Te Mata Peak. It was first protected by the Hawke's Bay Regional Council in 1996, making it New Zealand's first legally protected wine growing area. [12] The principal producers in the region are Te Mata Estate, Craggy Range and Black Barn, but other producers have vineyards in the area, including De La Terre and Trinity Hill.
Several vineyards are established in the coastal area around the small town of Te Awanga, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) east of Hastings. The area has the sunny warm Hawke's Bay climate, moderated by cool coastal breezes at night. Notable producers here are Beach House, Clearview Estate, and Elephant Hill. [13]
Growers 50 kilometres (31 mi) further south around the towns of Waipawa and Waipukurau registered their own sub-region geographical indication in 2019, which covers roughly the southern half of the larger Hawke's Bay GI, with the same boundary as the Central Hawke's Bay District local authority. [14] The principal producers are Lime Rock, Junction Wines and Pukeora Estate. [13]
Hawke's Bay is a region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region is named for Hawke Bay, which was named in honour of Edward Hawke. The region's main centres are the cities of Napier and Hastings, while the more rural parts of the region are served by the towns of Waipukurau, Waipawa, and Wairoa.
Napier is a city on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Hawke's Bay region. It is a beachside city with a seaport, known for its sunny climate, esplanade lined with Norfolk pines, and extensive Art Deco architecture. Napier is sometimes referred to as the "Nice of the Pacific", although that is largely outdated and a more common nickname is 'The Art Deco Capital of the world'.
Hastings is an inland city of New Zealand and is one of the two major urban areas in Hawke's Bay, on the east coast of the North Island. The population of Hastings is 51,500, with a further 15,200 people in Havelock North and 2,090 in Clive. Hastings is about 18 kilometres inland of the coastal city of Napier. These two neighbouring cities are often called "The Bay Cities" or "The Twin Cities".
Hastings District is a Territorial authority district within the Hawke's Bay Region, on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It covers the southern half of the Hawke's Bay coast, excluding Napier City, which is a separate territorial authority. Hastings District Council is headquartered in the city of Hastings, the district's largest town.
Taradale is a suburb of the City of Napier, in the Hawke's Bay Region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is a predominantly middle-upper class residential suburb, located 10 kilometres southwest of the centre of Napier. The Taradale ward, which includes Greenmeadows, Meeanee, and Poraiti, had a population of 22,809 in the 2018 New Zealand census.
The Central Otago wine region is a geographical indication in New Zealand's South Island, and the world's southernmost commercial wine growing region. While Central Otago is best known for Pinot Noir, many white wine varieties are also popular.
Corbans Wines was one of New Zealand's oldest wineries, established in 1902 by Assid Abraham Corban, a Lebanese immigrant who had arrived in New Zealand ten years earlier. Corbans Wines grew to become the second largest producer of wine in New Zealand, until they were purchased by their largest competitor Montana Wines in 2000. Following several takeovers of Montana by Allied Domecq and then Pernod Ricard, the Corbans brand was spun off in 2011 and is now owned by Lion.
New Zealand wine 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 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.
Bridge Pa is a rural Māori settlement and surrounding area in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, located approximately 10 kilometres inland from Hastings. The pā itself comprises a school, a meetinghouse of the LDS Church, two marae, a cemetery, a disused quarry, and the 140-year-old historical Homestead of the Kamau family.
The Oakville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA and centered on the town of Oakville, California. The appellation extends over a flat expanse of well-drained gravel soil between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. Oakville AVA is known for its success with Bordeaux varietals, which have produced wines of rich texture, firm tannins, and notes of mint and herbs.
Villa Maria Estate is one of New Zealand's wine companies. Their vineyards are located throughout New Zealand, with production bases in Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough and Auckland.
John Kenneth Buck is chairman of Te Mata Estate winery and is widely recognised for his contributions to fine wine and the New Zealand wine industry.
Te Mata Peak is a peak south of Hastings rising up to 399m in the Te Mata Hills in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. A sealed road leads to the popular lookout at the summit, as well as many trails for hikers and mountain bikers. The Hastings suburb of Havelock North is situated at the base of the peak. Te Mata peak and the surrounding range runs in a North-East to South-West direction. The slopes on the North-Western side build up gradually. Havelock North is built upon the rolling hills at the lower extent of the ranges. The topography of the South-Eastern side has been heavily influenced by the Tukituki River, forming the Tukituki Valley. From Te Mata Peak, cliffs on the South-Eastern side drop 140 meters before extending into the rolling hills of the Tukituki Valley, making these cliffs some of the highest in the North Island of New Zealand. Their height is subject to erosion, with multiple instances of rockfall into the valley below. From the peak, large boulders can be witnessed in the valley as evidence of previous rockfall.
Te Mata Estate is an independent, family-owned Hawke's Bay winery and New Zealand's oldest, in continuous operation since 1895. The winery produces everything on-premises at their Havelock Hills site near Havelock North, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Napier. Established in the late 19th century by the Chambers family, the winery and original vineyards were the first to be heritage-protected, and is one of New Zealand's most highly regarded wineries.
The Marlborough wine region is by far New Zealand's largest, accounting for three quarters of the country's wine production, 70% of its vineyard area and 85% of its wine exports. A Geographical Indication in the north-east of the South Island, it covers the entire Marlborough District and the Kaikōura District of the Canterbury Region, but in practice the vineyards are concentrated around the Blenheim and Seddon townships. Internationally, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is recognised as world class; wine writers such as Oz Clarke and George Taber have described it as the best in the world.
Mission Estate Winery is New Zealand's oldest surviving winemaking concern, first established in the Hawke's Bay in 1851 by French Catholic Marist missionaries for producing sacramental wine. It is one of the largest wineries in the Hawke's Bay and remains wholly New Zealand owned.
The Waiheke Island wine region is a geographical indication and wine-growing region of New Zealand.
The Canterbury wine region is a New Zealand wine region and geographical indication that covers wine made anywhere within the Canterbury Region excluding the Kaikōura District, an area of some 44,500 square kilometres (17,200 sq mi) in the South Island.
The Auckland wine region is a New Zealand wine-growing area and geographical indication centred around New Zealand's largest city, Auckland. The GI covers the area delineated by the greater Auckland Region, and has a total vineyard area in 2022 of 285 hectares.