New Zealand wine

Despite the country’s long winemaking history, it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that New Zealand gained international recognition for its premium Sauvignon Blanc wines.

Although Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand’s best-known wine, it's not the only wine made in the country. Other varieties that make up the majority of the country’s wine production include Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and Shiraz.

New Zealand is a winemaker’s paradise, with long, sunny days and cool breezes. The country’s unique geography, spanning the warmer North Island and the cooler South Island, offers a mix of microclimates. This diversity makes it ideal for growing a variety of grapes. New Zealand wines are famous worldwide thanks to their exceptional quality. The country made over 383 million litres of wine in 2022 – that’s a lot, but still not enough to break into the top 10 wine-producing countries in the world.

New Zealand’s wine regions are spread across the North and South Islands.

The best-known and most productive wine region is Marlborough. Located on the South Island, it makes around three-quarters of the country’s wine. Famed for its world-class Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough’s maritime climate delivers wines with unmistakable flavours of zesty citrus and green herbs.

Also on the South Island is Central Otago. This wine region is known for its dramatic landscapes and cooler climate, which makes for complex, velvety Pinot Noir wines with rich, concentrated flavours.

On the North Island, you’ll find a small wine-growing region just outside Auckland that shares

the same name. It’s home to boutique wineries specialising in Chardonnay, Shiraz and Bordeaux-style blends – a result of the warmer climate found here – and all worth exploring.

Hawke’s Bay is the country’s oldest and second-largest wine region, located southeast of Auckland on the North Island. With its diverse range of microclimates, Kiwi winemakers can experiment with the varieties that thrive there – Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – and make deep, Bordeaux-style reds with plenty of character.

Gisborne’s warm climate and long sunny days make it a haven for Chardonnay grapes. These make full-bodied wines with sweet flavours of tropical and stone fruits.

Further south at the bottom of the Tararua Range is Wairarapa. The vineyards here are protected from cool sea breezes thanks to the nearby mountains. A warmer climate and minimal rainfall make it the perfect location for growing Pinot Noir with half the region dedicated to it. Other varieties grown here include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling.

New Zealand’s signature wine is Sauvignon Blanc. Single-handedly securing the country’s reputation as a premium wine producer, it’s famous for its vibrant tropical-fruit flavours and distinctive character.

Considered one of the best wine styles in the world, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is easy-drinking, with mouth-watering acidity and tart flavours of gooseberry and grapefruit, along with hints of green pea and lime.

This light-to-medium-bodied wine is made throughout New Zealand. Most of the country’s Sauvignon Blanc is grown in Marlborough, but it can also be found on the North Island in Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa. There are slight differences between wines produced on the two islands – North Island Sauvignon Blanc is vibrant and crisp, whereas South Island styles are milder and fruitier.

Its acidity and light green flavours make New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc a good bet to pair with shellfish, chicken, turkey, pork or white fish. It also works with dishes featuring green vegetables, such as asparagus risotto, cucumber salad and fried courgette. Try serving with soft cheeses such as feta, burrata and goat’s cheese.

Chardonnay is another popular white variety from New Zealand. The grapes are grown along the east coast of the North Island – mostly in Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa, as well as Gisborne – and strike a good balance between fruitiness and acidity that make elegant wines in a range of styles, from crisp and unoaked to rich and buttery.

Age-worthy New Zealand Rieslings reflect the diversity of the country’s regions, ranging from bone-dry to lusciously sweet with aromas of stone fruits and a zingy acidity. Another white wine, Pinot Gris, is typically off-dry and has flavours of juicy pear, apple flavours and spice. New Zealand Pinot Gris wines have a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity.

New Zealand’s French influences are evident in its red wines. Traditional French grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir are grown throughout the country.

Pinot Noir is New Zealand’s most planted red variety and can be found thriving in the Central Otago region of the South Island. It’s medium-bodied, vibrant and fruit-forward, with a characteristic earthiness and complex flavours of plum, raspberry and dark cherry.

Premium Bordeaux-style blends can be found in Hawke’s Bay. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot are blended together to create complex, robust red wines with flavours of dark fruit and hints of spice.