Central Otago is on its way to being registered as a formal wine region, as winegrowers look forward to legal protection for their area.
The Central Otago Winegrowers Association (COWA) was "well advanced'' in drafting its geographical indications (GI) application for the Central Otago wine region, and would lodge itsoon, COWA general manager Glenys Coughlan said.
The GI legislation amends the Geographical Indications (Wines and Spirits) Registration Act, which was passed in 2006 but never brought into force. It will give legal recognition to specific areas, such as Central Otago.
Once Central's GI was approved, individual wineries would be able to use it as long as 85% of the grapes used in the wine were grown in the area, Ms Coughlan said. The legal recognition of Central Otago as a wine region would offer much-valued protection for its wines, she said.
"For a region that has established such a strong and positive brand reputation in a relatively short space of time, the ability to formally recognise and protect the [Central Otago] brand name is a significant milestone for the wine industry.''
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jacqui Dean said the GI legislation - due to come into force in late July - would show that a wine or spirit came from a specific region, "and possesses particular qualities or characteristics as a result''.
"Registering regional names for our wine and spirits will reinforce the qualities and reputation of these products, allowing winemakers to safeguard what is special and precious about their area ... It will also make it easier for exporters to promote and protect their wine and spirits in some overseas markets.''
Ms Coughlan said the COWA's application would be for "the entire Central Otago wine region, which encompasses the boundaries of both Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago District Councils''.
A spokesman for Mrs Dean's office said once applications were lodged they would take about six to nine months to process.
Much of this time would be spent defining the exact geographic boundaries of proposed GI areas, the spokesman said.
As well as applications for regions, individual or groups of wineries could also apply for GI recognition for smaller areas, such as Wanaka or the Gibbston Valley, the spokesman said.
