It’s no wonder that New Zealand excels when it comes to white wine. The narrow islands’ remote location at the southwest edge of the Pacific Ocean means that none of its wine regions are farther than a few hours from the coast.
Combine the intense maritime influence with long hours of sunshine, crisp nights, and some of the most southerly latitudes in the wine world, and you have a landscape perfectly suited to craft white wines of delicacy, finesse, and freshness.
While New Zealand’s calling card is Sauvignon Blanc, the ruggedly beautiful nation produces whites from a plethora of other varieties. Read on to dive in.
No variety is as synonymous with New Zealand as Sauvignon Blanc. In 2018, the grape accounted for a whopping 73% of the country’s wine production, and 86% of its total exports.
There’s an unmistakable, bombastic style produced here. It offers heady aromas of passionfruit, lime, pineapple, bell pepper, tomato leaf, and grass, along with rapier-like acidity.
Though it’s made virtually everywhere in New Zealand, the vast majority of plantings are in Marlborough, at the northeast edge of the South Island. They’re spread across two subregions: the Wairau and the Awatere Valleys.
The Awatere, the more sea swept of the two, can produce a more herbaceous and less overtly fruity Sauvignon than the Wairau. But Marlborough’s overarching fruit-forward “Savvie B” style prevails just as often here.
Across New Zealand, regional differences are subtle but apparent: In Wairarapa, on the south end of the North Island, for example, more green vegetal characters are apparent, while in warmer Hawke’s Bay, the wines tend toward tropical. Ultimately, though, viticulture and winemaking choices have the final say.
Pick and press Sauvignon Blanc early from high-yielding vines with large leaf cover, without skins or stems, lees or oak influence, and you get the zingy, aromatic style that put New Zealand on the map.
But if you harvest it later from vines with low yields and a small canopy, ferment it in whole bunches with native yeast, in barrel and/or on its lees, a whole different beast emerges.
The majority of conventional New Zealand Sauvignons are heavily based on a narrow, shouty aromatic spectrum. Wines with good fruit weight, on the other hand, have intensity, balance, and length of flavor.
Although it accounts for just 7% of the country’s total wine production, serious Chardonnay producers here are passionate about this versatile variety. As a result, bottlings are often of very high quality.
Three decades ago, when it was the country’s most planted wine grape, Chardonnay was made in a more overtly fruity and oaky style. Today, it’s fine, restrained and, in many cases, highly age-worthy.
Chardonnay finds a happy home across the country, particularly at altitude and in the coastal areas of Hawke’s Bay in the North Island, which produces about a third of the nation’s bottlings. The style here, depending on site, ranges from fresh and fruity to rich and concentrated.
Elevated acidity and a leaner, more citrus-driven profile are found in examples from regions at the bottom of the North Island, like Wairarapa/Martinborough, and in South Island regions like Marlborough, Nelson, North Canterbury and Central Otago, where overall temps are cooler.
Pinot Gris has only been a part of the New Zealand wine landscape since the 1990s, yet it’s one of the few white varieties other than Sauvignon Blanc to steadily increase in plantings and production. The third most planted variety in the nation, it makes up 6% of New Zealand’s total wine production.
Most Pinot Gris clones here originated in Germany, Switzerland and South Africa, and the wine style is closer to Alsace than Italy, which is why so many producers call it “Gris,” not “Grigio.”
New Zealand Pinot Gris is richer both in aromatics and texture than the lighter, more neutral Pinot Grigio style. It can be mouth-filling and off-dry, with bold baked pear, apple, honey and spice characteristics. This richer, riper style is prevalent in warmer North Island regions like Gisborne.
In the South Island, where the majority of Pinot Gris is grown, the wines walk a fresher, more delicate line. They’re less honeyed and unctuous, with more fresh fruit. But there are plenty of exceptions. Pinot Gris is a young variety in New Zealand in need of dedicated, quality-focused producers. When it receives love and a gentle touch, it’s well worth seeking out.
The diversity of New Zealand’s wine-growing regions means that a wide range of grape varieties can grow, like Riesling, and Pinot Grigio. The long, cool growing season of the South Island is suited to aromatic varieties, while the North can ripen fleshier, warmer climate whites.
