Central Otago Wine Region
Encyclopedia
45th parallel south
The 45th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 45 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It is the line that marks the theoretical halfway point between the equator and the South Pole...
, the Central Otago Wine Region is the most southerly wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
producing region in the world. The vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s are also the highest in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
at 200 to 400 metres above sea level, on the floor of glacial valleys. Central Otago
Central Otago
Central Otago is the inland part of the New Zealand region of Otago in the South Island. The area commonly known as Central Otago includes both the Central Otago District and the Queenstown-Lakes District to the west....
is a sheltered inland area with a continental microclimate characterised by hot, dry summers, cool autumns and crisp, cold winters.
Central Otago is in the process of applying for a geographic indication for wines grown in the area. This will be in conjunction with the New Zealand Winegrowers Association, which is preparing to submit a national geographic indication for New Zealand wines
History of the wine region
Significant EuropeanEuropean ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
occupation in this region started with the Central Otago Gold Rush
Central Otago Gold Rush
The Central Otago Gold Rush was a gold rush that occurred during the 1860s in Central Otago, New Zealand...
in the 1860s, but a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
immigrant gold miner, Jean Desire Feraud, soon started planting vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
s and embarking upon small-scale commercial wine production — even winning medals in Australian wine competitions. Late in the nineteenth century, the New Zealand government hired a winemaker to survey the country (see Romeo Bragato
Romeo Bragato
Romeo Alessandro Bragato played a significant role in the early development of the wine industry in New Zealand.-Early life and career:...
). He singled out Central Otago as a region of utmost potential. While this early experimentation showed the wine-growing potential of the region, the wine industry did not survive for long on a commercial basis (see New Zealand Wine
New Zealand wine
New Zealand wine is largely produced in ten major wine growing regions spanning latitudes 36° to 45° South and extending . They are, from north to south Northland, Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury/Waipara and Central...
). Once the gold rush abated, the Central Otago economy turned to sheep farming and fruit production, and — once the world began to discover the stark natural beauty of its mountains and lakes — to skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
Starting in the 1950s, and up through the end of the 1970s, small scale trial plantings of vines began again both by private individuals and under the auspices of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture. By 1980 sufficient experience and confidence had been gained for small scale commercial plantings to be made.
Vineyard planting and production remained modest until the middle of the 1990s when the industry began to expand rapidly. In 1996 there were just 11 wineries
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
in the Central Otago region, according to New Zealand Winegrowers, accounting for just 4.6% of the national total. By 2004 this had risen to 75 wineries and 16.2%. Over the same period, the area planted with vines rose from 92 hectares (1.4% of the national total) to 1,062 hectares (5.1%). Reflecting this rapid expansion, the long lead-time for planting to come into production, and the focus in Central Otago on quality wines rather than bulk wines, actual wine production accounted for only 0.5% (376 tonnes) of the New Zealand total in 1996, increasing to 0.9% (1,439 tonnes) in 2004.
Climate and soil
At around the 300 metre elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
level, Central Otago's vineyards are protected by high mountains (up to 3,700 metres) from New Zealand's characteristic maritime climate. They thus enjoy the only true continental climate zone in the country, with the large daily and seasonal temperature extremes typical of such geographies. Rainfall averages around 375-600mm here: summer is hot and relatively dry, and often accompanied by the Nor'wester
Nor'west arch
The Nor'west arch is a weather pattern peculiar to the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. For this reason, it is also often referred to as the Canterbury arch. It is shown in an apparent arch of high white cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky over the Southern Alps, and is accompanied by a...
foehn wind; autumn is short, cool and sunny; and winter is cold, with substantial falls of snow. Heavy frosts are common throughout winter and, indeed, frost can occur at any time between March and November. In the earlier days of experimental planting in the region, many skeptics warned that the conditions would preclude successful commercial wine growing: in fact, these very climatic extremes are what can, given careful husbandry techniques, produce exceptional wines of great distinction and intensity. One of Central Otago's warmest wine growing areas can be found just north of the Lowburn Inlet area.
The climatic contrast between Central Otago and the more humid, warmer wine regions of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
can be illustrated by the difference in the timing of the grape harvest. In the more northerly vineyards, picking generally takes place in late February or early March, while in Central Otago the harvest begins in mid to late April — a difference of some six to seven weeks.
The structure of the soil also differs considerably from other wine growing regions of the country, with heavy deposits of rough-edged mica and other metamorphic schists in silt loams. This soil drains easily, and given that most vineyards are positioned on hillside slopes, artificial irrigation is generally essential.
Wines
Pinot noirPinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
is the leading grape variety in Central Otago, and is estimated to account for some 70% of plantings. The Pinot Noir is notoriously fickle and difficult to grow. Central Otago, however, with its combination of climate, terroir
Terroir
Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...
and determined winemaking appears to have the capacity to produce a world-class Pinot Noir that is increasingly sought-after. The grape there is producing elegant wines with great ageing potential that some experts believe will ultimately equal the best in the world.
The other 30% of production comes from Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
, Pinot gris
Pinot gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
, and Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
. The latter three in particular, amenable to Central Otago's climatic conditions and soil type, are showing great promise, and may develop a reputation to match the Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
s. Limited production of sparkling wine
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
, made in the traditional style from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, has been of good quality, and has received some accolades at wine tastings around the world.
Sub Regions
The Central Otago wine region is broken into multiple sub regions, each with its own climate and characteristics.- BannockburnBannockburn, New ZealandBannockburn is a small historic gold mining town located outside of Cromwell in Central Otago, New Zealand.The area was first made known as a rich alluvial gold field and was mined extensively in the 1860s....
, is located on the southern banks of the Kawarau RiverKawarau RiverKawarau River drains Lake Wakatipu, in northwestern Otago, New Zealand. The river flows generally eastwards for about 60 km and passes through the steep Kawarau Gorge until it joins Lake Dunstan near Cromwell. The Shotover River enters it from the north; the Nevis River enters it from the south...
near CromwellCromwell, New ZealandCromwell is a town in Central Otago in the Otago region of New Zealand.It is situated between State Highway 6 and State Highway 8 leading to the Lindis Pass, 75 km northeast, and Alexandra, 33 km south. The road to Alexandra winds through the Cromwell Gorge...
and is a very warm area that was known by gold miners as “the Heart of the Desert”. Grapes ripen early on sandy, silty loam soils. The elevation ranges from 220 to 370 metres. - Bendigo, lies east of the Clutha RiverClutha RiverThe Clutha River / Mata-Au is the second longest river in New Zealand flowing south-southeast through Central and South Otago from Lake Wanaka in the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean, south west of Dunedin. It is the highest volume river in New Zealand, and the swiftest, with a catchment of ,...
and Lake DunstanLake DunstanLake Dunstan is a man-made lake and reservoir in the South Island of New Zealand.The lake was formed on the Clutha River as a result of the construction of the Clyde Dam, filling in four controlled stages beginning in April 1992 and completed the next year...
and has both medium (220 metres) and high elevation terraces (330 to 350) planted in grapes. This warm area has semi arid soils at variable depths free draining soils at the lower levels and shallower soils at higher elevations. - Gibbston is a tight valley enclosed by mountainous terrain. About 250 hectares of vines are planted on sloping land on the southern bank of the Kawarau RiverKawarau RiverKawarau River drains Lake Wakatipu, in northwestern Otago, New Zealand. The river flows generally eastwards for about 60 km and passes through the steep Kawarau Gorge until it joins Lake Dunstan near Cromwell. The Shotover River enters it from the north; the Nevis River enters it from the south...
. Gibbston is the coolest and highest of the sub-regions with vineyards between 320 and 420 metres altitude. - WanakaWanakaWanaka is a town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka, adjacent to the outflow of the lake to the Clutha River. It is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Wanaka is primarily a resort town but has both summer and winter...
, the smallest of the sub-regions, has vineyards planted between the banks of Lake Wanaka and the town of Luggate to the east. Ranging between 290 to 320 metres above sea level, the vineyards have a similar but slightly warmer climate than those at Gibbston. - The Alexandra BasinAlexandra, New ZealandAlexandra is a town in the Central Otago district of the Otago region of New Zealand. It is located on the banks of the Clutha River , on State Highway 8, 188 km by road from Dunedin and 33 km south of Cromwell.At the time of the 2006 census, the permanent population was 4,827, an...
is surrounded by the Clutha and Manuherikia rivers and regularly records New Zealand’s hottest summer temperatures. SchistSchistThe schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
outcrops dominate the arid landscape and a wide diurnal shiftDiurnal temperature variationDiurnal temperature variation is a meteorological term that relates to the variation in temperature that occurs from the highs of the day to the cool of nights.-Temperature lag:Temperature lag is an important factor in diurnal temperature variation...
moderates the high temperatures. - The Cromwell BasinCromwell, New ZealandCromwell is a town in Central Otago in the Otago region of New Zealand.It is situated between State Highway 6 and State Highway 8 leading to the Lindis Pass, 75 km northeast, and Alexandra, 33 km south. The road to Alexandra winds through the Cromwell Gorge...
contains the highest concentration of vines in an area bounded by the Kawarau RiverKawarau RiverKawarau River drains Lake Wakatipu, in northwestern Otago, New Zealand. The river flows generally eastwards for about 60 km and passes through the steep Kawarau Gorge until it joins Lake Dunstan near Cromwell. The Shotover River enters it from the north; the Nevis River enters it from the south...
, Lake DunstanLake DunstanLake Dunstan is a man-made lake and reservoir in the South Island of New Zealand.The lake was formed on the Clutha River as a result of the construction of the Clyde Dam, filling in four controlled stages beginning in April 1992 and completed the next year...
and the Pisa mountain range. It is a warm district characterized by semi arid, high terracesTerrace (agriculture)Terraces are used in farming to cultivate sloped land. Graduated terrace steps are commonly used to farm on hilly or mountainous terrain. Terraced fields decrease erosion and surface runoff, and are effective for growing crops requiring much water, such as rice...
and moraines and gently sloping fansAlluvial fanAn alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain. A convergence of neighboring alluvial fans into a single apron of deposits against a slope is called a bajada, or compound alluvial...
.
The wine industry today
So far, it has avoided participating in the low-price, bulk wine market where competition is intense and margins are low. The Central Otago Winegrowers Association believes that "for the industry to succeed and grow, a strategy aimed at keeping quality standards at the highest possible level, and aiming at the top end of the market, is the only sustainable course of action for the industry to follow."
The challenges faced by the industry in Central Otago include an unpredictable climate, a relatively low yield, and poor economies of scale — leading to high production costs. On the other hand, these are factors which also contribute to the quality of the wine (particularly the Pinot Noir), and to the boutique winery image of the region.
International recognition is an essential element in the region's future success since — given the small domestic wine market and the relatively high prices of its output — a large proportion of its production is exported. Such recognition is increasingly being achieved.
Wine critic Jane Macquitty of The Times (of London) wrote in late 2003, "At last Burgundy has a serious New World rival. It used to be gospel that pinot noir could not be grown successfully beyond the Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
… But now I have discovered a little-known and mostly unsung young region that I think will knock the rest of the pinot noir gang for six — Central Otago." And a leading British wine writer, Jancis Robinson
Jancis Robinson
Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW is a British wine critic, journalist and editor of wine literature. She currently writes a weekly column for the Financial Times, and writes for her website jancisrobinson.com...
MW
Master of Wine
Master of Wine is a qualification issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom...
, named Central Otago as one of the top five New World wine producing regions in early 2005. In a Decanter magazine interview she listed Central Otago together with Napa Valley (California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
), Margaret River
Margaret River, Western Australia
Margaret River is a town in the South West of Western Australia, located in the valley of the eponymous Margaret River, south of Perth, the state capital. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River....
(Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
), Stellenbosch (South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) and Willamette
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
(Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
) as her five favourite New World regions.
Synergies with tourism are also important to the wine industry, and the region is well-located to benefit from this with Queenstown
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
, New Zealand's best-known year-round tourist destination, on its doorstep. 'Wine route' attractions are developing rapidly, with winery visits, wine tours, tastings, gourmet restaurants and winery home-stays being increasingly promoted by the in-bound tour operators.
Given its geographical restrictions, Central Otago will never become a vast wine growing region, but if it can build upon its growing reputation for wines (particularly Pinot Noir) of exceptional elegance and longevity, it appears well-poised to carve itself an important and profitable niche in the world market.