New Zealand wine

Marlborough is known for sauvignon blanc because the grape covers the largest part of the vineyards there and because the region made its international breakthrough with it in the 1980s. According to New Zealand Winegrowers, Marlborough has well over 22,000 hectares of sauvignon blanc, about three quarters of all sauvignon blanc in the country.

The region has about 31,000 hectares of vineyard in total. The climate is cool, with many hours of sunshine and little rain, on well-drained, moderately fertile soil. The Māori name Kei puta te Wairau means, loosely translated: the place with the hole in the clouds. Alongside sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris, riesling and gewürztraminer grow there.

Winemaking in Marlborough began in 1873, when David Herd planted the first vines in Fairhall. The modern history starts on 11 August 1973: Montana Wines, led by Frank Yukich, then planted the first commercial vineyard on what later became Brancott Estate.

After that things moved quickly. Hunter's Wines was founded in 1979 and won prizes in London from 1986. Cloudy Bay appeared in 1985, whose sauvignon blanc made its name worldwide via the British market. In that same year a vine-pull scheme paid growers to replace less suitable varieties, after which many vineyards were replanted with sauvignon blanc and chardonnay.

Marlborough has three sub-regions, each with its own soil and location. New Zealand Winegrowers distinguishes them as follows:

• Wairau Valley: old, gravelly river beds, with cooler spots further inland, stony plots that ripen early and coastal plots under the influence of the sea wind.
• Southern Valleys: the valleys of Omaka, Fairhall, Brancott, Ben Morven and Waihopai, with heavier soil containing more clay than in the Wairau, and cooler and drier towards the south.
• Awatere Valley: the most distinct sub-region, higher up, cooler and windier, with lower yields.

On the label you will sometimes see one of these names next to Marlborough.

If Marlborough is on the label, at least 85 percent of the wine must come from Marlborough. That rule of the New Zealand ministry MPI also applies to grape and vintage: anyone who states sauvignon blanc and 2024 must meet 85 percent for each of those details.

Marlborough is also a registered geographical indication for wine in the IPONZ register, in the name of the Marlborough Winegrowers' Association. Since 2018 there has also been the quality mark Appellation Marlborough Wine. Stricter requirements apply to it: 100 percent grapes from Marlborough from sustainably certified vineyards, bottled in New Zealand and independently inspected.

New Zealand has ten wine regions, spread over 1,600 kilometres between the 36th and 45th parallels, from Northland to Central Otago. The first vines were planted in 1819 by the missionary Samuel Marsden in the Bay of Islands. Sauvignon blanc accounts for well over two thirds of all New Zealand wine and for 85 percent of exports.

Pinot noir is the most important red grape and the second-largest export wine. According to New Zealand Winegrowers it does especially well in Martinborough (Wairarapa) and Central Otago. Hawke's Bay on the North Island is the country's second wine region, with winegrowing since 1851. About 98 percent of the productive vineyard area is certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.

At ’t Bockje the emphasis is on sauvignon blanc. Among others you will find TOMTIT Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, Maori Moana Sauvignon Blanc, Ponga Sauvignon Blanc, Stoneburn Sauvignon Blanc and Twin Islands Sauvignon Blanc. That way you can compare different houses side by side.

Anyone looking for something other than Sauvignon Blanc will want the Nautilus Pinot Noir or the Stoneburn Gewurztraminer. The label shows which region the grapes come from for each bottle. Would you like to know which bottle suits your occasion? Drop by at Brink 2 in Bathmen or call 0570 541 278.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.