The history of New Zealand wine-making dates back to the 1800s when settlers planted vines and some commercial wineries began to surface. But the industry never really took off as it did in Australia and other parts of the world at this time. When Phylloxera struck the country, as it did elsewhere, the known “cure” was to graft American root stock onto European vinifera, which repelled the louse. However, New Zealand took a more direct approach and decided instead to just source all their vines directly from America. which was costly and time-consuming. There were also very loose quality standards when it came to wine production. Sugar and water were allowed to be added to bulk out the wine. As a result, into the 20th century, most New Zealand wine was shunned in favor of Australian imports.
There was also a form of Prohibition enacted around the same time as it was in the US, in the 1920s. While alcohol was not banned outright, there were several government measures put forth to
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The history of New Zealand wine-making dates back to the 1800s when settlers planted vines and some commercial wineries began to surface. But the industry never really took off as it did in Australia and other parts of the world at this time. When Phylloxera struck the country, as it did elsewhere, the known “cure” was to graft American root stock onto European vinifera, which repelled the louse. However, New Zealand took a more direct approach and decided instead to just source all their vines directly from America. which was costly and time-consuming. There were also very loose quality standards when it came to wine production. Sugar and water were allowed to be added to bulk out the wine. As a result, into the 20th century, most New Zealand wine was shunned in favor of Australian imports.
There was also a form of Prohibition enacted around the same time as it was in the US, in the 1920s. While alcohol was not banned outright, there were several government measures put forth to discourage its consumption. There was a ban on the sale of alcohol in shops and restaurants that lasted into the 1950s, and supermarkets couldn’t sell liquor till the 1990s.
By the 1970s, however, many factors changed the attitude toward wine in New Zealand. Less meat and dairy was being exported, so more attention was paid to agriculture, and in turn, wine cultivation. The “six o’clock swill,” where pubs were only allowed to be open an hour after the work day and closed all day Sunday, was ended. Restaurants were now allowed to have BYOB licenses. More interest was paid to high quality varietals, rather than planting for high yield purposes. And finally, stricter regulations were placed on the addition of sugars and water to wines.
Today, the New Zealand wine industry is thriving. Diverse climates and terroirs, in this, the most southerly of the world’s wine countries, make it possible to grow a large variety of grapes and produce in many styles from sparkling to sweet. The pride of the country in recent years has been its Sauvignon Blanc, particularly from the Marlborough region. Leading the reds is Pinot Noir, most notably also from Marlborough as well as Central Otago and Martinborough. Hawke’s Bay, where the country’s first grapes were planted, is known for its Bordeaux varietals as well as fine productions of Syrah.
The main wine regions of New Zealand are:
North Island:
*Auckland
*Gisborne
*Hawke’s Bay
*Northland
*Waikato/Bay of Plenty
*Wairarapa
South Island:
*Malrborough
*Central Otago
*Nelson
*Canterbury
– Description from
Amanda Schuster
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