An introduction to New Zealand wines & wine tourism
Written by Robert Giorgione; a guest writer for Winekeller, a passionate New Zealand wine specialist, brand ambassador and award-winning sommelier, and owner of Roving Sommelier Wines & Deli
For most people, when you mention New Zealand the first things that usually spring to mind are the All Blacks, Lord of the Rings, and adventurous adrenalin sports. New Zealand may also be famous for dramatic landscapes, beautiful beaches, and flat white coffee – but did you know that it’s one of the most exciting wine producing countries in the world?
On the other side of the globe tucked away down in the southern hemisphere, New Zealand is home to a host of young, highly skilled, and innovative community of talented winegrowers, who are currently producing truly world-class, top-quality artisan wines.
Bringing together their shared knowledge and passion for wine, and New Zealand’s growing thirst for tourism, the country’s boutique wineries and family-owned vineyards have developed an exquisite environment for wine tourism. Whereas Australia is truly vast and most of its wine regions are the size of small countries, travelling around New Zealand’s wine regions is certainly doable in three or four weeks.
From the top of the north to the bottom of the south, New Zealand has a special destination not only worth visiting, and it’s also possible to explore interesting places off the beaten track and make wonderful discoveries, too. Wherever you travel and stay, you will be guaranteed a warm welcome. Many of New Zealand’s boutique vineyards also offer comfortable accommodation ranging from homely family-run B & Bs and lodges to luxurious hotels and resorts. What’s more, many include cellar doors and restaurants, bursting with top notch local produce, paired with regional wines, all in a tranquil setting.
Kumeu River ‘Maté’s Vineyard’, Auckland, North Island © Robert Giorgione 2006
Why go to New Zealand?
The global pandemic is now pretty much over. Staycations are a thing of the recent past. Things are gradually getting back to ‘normal’, too. Although travelling comes with its own unique challenges, people are now generally feeling more comfortable with getting out and about and socialising once again. This is surely a good thing. Lockdown also created many challenges for businesses, especially those in hospitality and retail. However, allegedly, consumers drank more wine at home because they were not able to go out or were faced with certain restrictions that made things more difficult. New Zealand completely shut down for a couple of years. No-one in and no-one out was their national policy.
So why should you travel more than halfway across the world – to New Zealand – for your next big holiday? Because, for starters, it’s just so… epic. If you’re looking for the Great Outdoors, then New Zealand will deliver it to you with mud-splattered, wind-tousled, and ruddy-cheeked aplomb. From the heart-stopping beaches of North Island to South Island’s Lord of the Rings-scale splendour, its natural beauty is on another level. For, as well as being ridiculously attractive, it’s also smart: New Zealand’s cities, prizewinning wineries and luxury lodges add refinement to its rugged, down-to-earth personality. In addition, there is nowhere like it. From its weird and wonderful wildlife to its soul-stirring spirituality, New Zealand is truly unique. And, frankly, because it’s achievable – you can do it top-to-toe in just over three weeks.
New Zealand wine regions
New Zealand should be on everyone’s wine tourism bucket lists. Throughout our ‘road trip’ around New Zealand, we will delve deeper into each region from Auckland, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Wairarapa in the North Island to Marlborough, Nelson, Central Otago, and North Canterbury in the South Island.
Mountford Estate, Waipara, North Canterbury - © Robert Giorgione 2009
Almost hidden away on the other side of the globe is a place of glorious unspoiled landscapes, exotic flora and fauna and a culture renowned for its spirit of youthful innovation. New Zealand is a world of pure discovery, and nothing distils its essence more perfectly than a glass of New Zealand wine.
Essentially, New Zealand is comprised of two large and long islands, which have been named (very easy for travellers to remember) North Island and South Island. An isolated South-Pacific-island nation with a maritime-influenced, temperate climate, New Zealand, or Aotearoa (“Land of the Long White Cloud”) enjoys undeniable advantages when it comes to producing ultra-premium wines. The proximity of the vineyards to the ocean has a pronounced effect on the personality and character of the wines. However, there are very big differences between the “Top of the North” and the “Bottom of the South”. Without doubt though, one thing you will experience when you go there is the stunning landscape.
Pancake Rocks, Punaikaiki, West Coast, South Island © Robert Giorgione 2003
New Zealand wines
Good food calls for good wine and with all these ingredients, my aim is to express a genuine regionality of the country via its food and wine culture.
New Zealand’s wine industry is surging ahead, with the number of wineries increasing dramatically, and the wines winning medals and admirers globally. It is safe to say that never have Kiwi wines been more popular. Mild, sunny summers and marked differences between day-and night-time temperatures (a.k.a diurnal range) in many regions slow the ripening of the grapes and allow them to develop intense and varietal flavours. These characteristics are the very core of the country’s wines’ elegance and purity, and explain their famed harmony, structure, and food-friendliness.
The topography of the land also has a key influence on wine’s personality. For instance, the regional diversity is dramatic, enabling a striking array of wine styles to flourish. It is very easy to generalise, but not all Kiwi wines taste the same.
Akaroa Fish ‘n’ Chips, Akaroa, Bank’s Peninsula, South Island © Robert Giorgione 2009
New Zealand’s history of wine production goes back to the 1800s. However, the real catalyst was during the 1980s when the astonishingly different Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was unleashed onto the international wine scene. It was certainly the first Kiwi wine I ever tasted and perhaps it was for you too. While Marlborough retains its status as one of the world’s foremost wine producing regions, the quality of wines from elsewhere in the country has also garnered international acclaim. For instance, the great Pinot Noirs from the established vineyards of Martinborough, Nelson, and Waipara and from the exciting and ‘up-and-coming’ region of Central Otago in the South. Bordeaux blend reds (Cabernets and Merlot) and peppery northern Rhône-style Syrah are well-suited to the soils and micro-climates of Waiheke Island and the important Gimblett Gravels sub-region in Hawke’s Bay. This is the very tip of the iceberg and throughout my articles I will show you a lot more.
Even with one grape variety such as Sauvignon Blanc, you will begin to realise the various regional differences and sub-regional nuances in tastes and flavours ranging from saline, mineral, asparagus, gooseberry, herbaceous and nettle through to pungent and aromatic capsicum, tropical, passion fruit and stone fruit. My aim is to help you discover the true pleasure of wine and for you to hopefully go on and enjoy many more moments for yourself. We will also have some fun along the way - it’s so simple. And though the current average price tag for a New Zealand wine reflects its desirability, few would question its ability to deliver excellent value for money. It is hard to think of a more satisfying opportunity for self-improvement than tasting wines with or without food.
Please enjoy the adventure in making a discovery. For me, it is a genuine pleasure to share this with you.
The best thing about travelling to a foreign country is giving yourself a reason to return by not trying to cram everything all in one go. At least when you go back you will have a genuine opportunity to visit some new places, make new friendships and enjoy new experiences.
Since way back in 2001, I have travelled around New Zealand many times. My connection to New Zealand, (via my late mum’s side of the family), is very special for personal reasons. I even considered living there a few years ago. What’s more, I also have valuable experiences of working two vintage harvests with some of the best boutique winegrowers in the country. In addition, when my mum passed away in early 2014, after a brutal battle with cancer, one of the first things I decided to do was to go back to New Zealand. Over the years it had become my go-to place and an idyllic and safe personal bolt hole, where I could be myself, be free to think and reflect and recharge my batteries.
Over the years I have tasted many wines, and some have become personal favourites. Wine is indeed extremely personal, and my taste and palate is certainly going to be different to yours. I have specialised in New Zealand wines for many years (I was made a New Zealand Brand Ambassador in 2010). Not only have I built up a good knowledge and understanding of these wines, but also have first-hand experience of visiting all of New Zealand’s main wine regions and many vineyards and wineries and forged relationships with those people behind them.
My research has taken me around the country on many occasions and I have always made the effort to spend good quality time within each region with people involved in the New Zealand wine industry. This integrity and these credible experiences are very important to me, and rest assured I have tasted every single wine that I may mention and have visited every place that I may write about.
Vineyard sheep, Isabel Estate, Renwick, Marlborough, South Island © Robert Giorgione 2006
To conclude, New Zealand is a wonderful must-visit destination for wine tourism with plenty of exciting opportunities to explore when you’re there. For me, travelling to New Zealand and experiencing its world class food and drink culture should be on everyone’s wine tourism bucket list. Wine has now become as much a part of New Zealand’s national being as whitebait, meat pies, rugby, and pavlova.
Bon voyage and safe travels and I sincerely hope you enjoy reading my roving sommelier stories for winekeller.com. where I will delve deeper into each wine region in our epicurean odyssey around New Zealand.
First up is the world-famous Marlborough region, where I will guide you through the finest of the region’s premium boutique wineries and family-owned vineyards, and much more besides.
More about Robert Giorgione:
Award-winning sommelier Robert Giorgione has been in the hospitality and retail industry for more than 35 years, including 17 years of experience in London where he worked as wine buyer and head sommelier in some of the best fine-dining restaurants and retail establishments, and also won many prestigious awards for his wine lists and sommelier skills. Most recently, Robert also picked up valuable experience in retail and customer service at the iconic Wally’s in Cardiff and previously worked as sommelier at the famous Park House Restaurant, Wine Bar and Private Rooms also in Cardiff, where he massively contributed to the establishment’s successful reputation for fine-dining and sommelier service and its award-winning wine list.
Now relocated to beautiful South Wales, Robert owns and runs Roving Sommelier Wines & Deli – an independent wine merchant and deli in Newport Market and Food Court, which stocks some of the finest affordable premium wines from around the world and epicurean treats, and Robert works enthusiastically to guide wine lovers and consumers towards something that’s right both for palate and pocket.
See here for further details.
In addition to this Robert has many years of experience as a wine consultant for a variety of private and corporate clients, (New Zealand Wine Growers, Wine Chap, Naked Wines, and Les Caves de Pyrene, amongst many others), and has been a wine judge for many prestigious international wine awards and competitions (his areas of experience include New Zealand, Regional Italy, Spain, and South-West France). In fact, the South-West of France, and in particular the region of Roussillon has a special place in Robert’s heart, as he has a real fondness for the local Vin Doux Naturel wines that pair extremely well with desserts and chocolate. In October 2012, while working with William Curley, Robert won the UK Final of the Roussillon Dessert Competition alongside pastry chef Sarah Frankland. The sommelier and chef pâtissier team went on to represent the UK in the European Final held in Perpignan in April 2013 and won the overall title of European Champions, beating the crème de la crème of Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Denmark. An achievement and experience that Robert is genuinely proud of.
Robert’s talents and experience also extends to writing, blogging, and between 2010 and 2013 he produced 275 roving sommelier video blogs on his Roving Sommelier TV You Tube channel.
