An Expert Guide To New Zealand’s Wine Regions

Viva wine editor Jo Burzynska highlights New Zealand’s key wine regions and the wineries that stand out in each. Perfect for planning your next wine-filled weekend away.

Northland

Known for: Historic vineyards

New Zealand wine’s story begins up north in the country’s oldest wine region, Northland. Most of the wineries are clustered around Kerikeri where in 1819, Anglican missionary Samuel Marsden planted the country’s first vineyard. This was in the grounds of the Stone Store, New Zealand’s oldest stone building and a worthwhile historical detour in itself. Scotsman James Busby, a pioneering figure in Australasian wine, followed suit, but also managed to make the earliest recorded wine, at Waitangi in 1833. Despite Northland’s humid subtropical climate, which isn’t quite grape-growing paradise, dedicated producers are crafting impressive wines, particularly from chardonnay and syrah. Keep an eye out for The Landing, a relative newcomer offering a high-end tasting experience alongside luxury accommodation, and Marsden Estate, famed for its rich Black Rocks Chardonnay.

Auckland/Waiheke

Known for: Island gems

Just outside Auckland, vineyards flourish on volcanic, clay-rich soils. A quick ferry ride whisks you to Waiheke Island where a warmer, drier microclimate produces some of the country’s most celebrated cabernet blends, alongside increasingly compelling syrah and chardonnay. Drop by Stonyridge for a casual tasting or book a vertical of its legendary Larose. Among Waiheke’s boutique gems, Batch Wines is well worth checking out, showcasing its stellar Thomas Estate Legacy wines. Back on the mainland, a short drive from the CBD, Kumeū River is a fine-wine outpost that continues to make some of New Zealand’s finest chardonnays. Further north in Matakana, a diverse range of varieties thrive in the vineyards around its charming village. Heron’s Flight specialises in Italian grapes while Matakana Estate, the region’s largest winery, champions syrah and pinot gris, even offering the chance to blend your own wine.

Known for: Boutique labels

Gisborne made its name as New Zealand’s chardonnay capital, with half its vineyards still planted with the variety. Whites remain its strongest suit, but these now include promising albarino, robust viognier, plus some of the country’s top chenin blanc. While Gisborne’s been the source of more affordable grapes for some of the country’s larger wine companies – this is Lindauer country – there are still several small producers, a handful of which have characterful cellar doors. Sample a different kind of sparkling made from the prosecco grape, glera, from TW Wines. A taste of history can be had at Matawhero, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Here, Bill and Denis Irwin pioneered local winegrowing, while its present owners have revived the vineyard and restored the property, which, along with a cellar door, now includes accommodation. National organic and biodynamic pioneer Millton Vineyard is another iconic local winery to visit, with highlights that include its classic Clos de Ste. Anne Chardonnay, and Libiamo natural wines made by its younger generation.

Hawke’s Bay

Known for: Strength in diversity

Hawke’s Bay is a region of many strengths. It was named a Great Wine Capital of the world in 2023, joining cities such as France’s Bordeaux. Renowned for its world-class chardonnay, it also possesses the warmth to ripen impressive red blends and seriously good syrah. Its chardonnay continues to evolve, encompassing styles from fresh and minerally to rich and concentrated. For a full chardonnay immersion, head to specialist Tony Bish, who has his Urban Winery in Napier. Bordeaux red varieties like cabernets, merlot and malbec excel in hotter sites such as the stony Gimblett Gravels, while the region’s syrahs can be fresh, aromatic and elegant. The challenging weather during the 2023 vintage may have tested producers, but excellent wines were still made and 2024 is shaping up to be exceptional. Recent years have had a wave of exciting new small labels emerge, driven by a new generation of winemakers embracing less-conventional, more natural approaches, often using organic fruit. A snapshot of some smaller producers can be found at the pop-up Cellar Door Collective at Radburnd Cellars, running Saturdays and Sundays until King’s Birthday in its beautiful Stables setting, and then probably at least one day a week after that. Here you can try wines from veteran winemakers Kate Radburnd and Jenny Dobson, plus newcomers Bostock, Amoise and Chateau Garage.

Wairarapa

Known for: A new wave of winemakers

Marlborough

Known for: Stylistic range

Marlborough continues to be the powerhouse of the New Zealand wine industry, home to two-thirds of the country’s vineyards, with over 80% of these planted with sauvignon blanc. However, the region now offers an increasingly diverse range of styles of this flagship grape. Alongside Marlborough’s classic, intensely aromatic, passionfruit and green herb-driven expressions, more restrained versions are emerging such as Clos Henri Otira Sauvignon Blanc. Richer, well-crafted styles, often with subtle barrel influence adding texture rather than overt oak, are also more prevalent, exemplified by Greywacke’s Wild Sauvignon. It’s not all big corporate wineries, with a plethora of small establishments, some making more experimental natural expressions, such as Churton with its Natural State wines. Further variety can be found as different subregions find distinct stylistic voices. Pinot noir has come into its own, now it’s found its true home on the heavier soils and hillsides. You can see and taste this for yourself at the historic Auntsfield Estate in the Southern Valleys where you can also experience the region’s first wine cellar, which dates back to the 1800s. A new cellar door to seek out is Astrolabe’s urban Small Town Winery in Blenheim where its small-batch wines are made and tastings are held in its barrel room.

Nelson

Known for: Diversity and natural progression

Relaxed and arty Nelson, known for its aromatic specialties and wide variety of grapes, regularly competes with Marlborough for the title of Aotearoa’s sunniest wine region. It has also been a hotbed of developments. It’s become something of a natural wine hub. Early adopter Kindeli established itself here and natural newcomers Brood, Unkel, Tincan, and Kunoh have followed. Nelson stalwarts Neudorf, Greenhough and Seifried continue to produce impressive wines under the same families’ ownership. However, what was Woollaston and then Mahana has changed hands and been rebranded as Gravity Cellars. Now part of a larger group, its impressive gravity-fed winery is still open to the public in a winery tour, with a cellar door that also features wines from local stablemate Waimea. Newer wineries to watch include Shield Wines, from veteran Nelson winemaker Trudy Shield (ex-Waimea), and Abel, a chardonnay-focused family partnership that includes James Healy (ex-Cloudy Bay and Dog Point) and his daughter Sophie that also produces great cider.

North Canterbury

Known for: Exciting evolution

There’s plenty of excitement in the hillsides and gravel flats of North Canterbury. This smaller, geographically diverse region is home to some of New Zealand’s top wineries: Bell Hill and Pyramid Valley in Waikari, as well as local pioneers Pegasus Bay, plus Black Estate, and Greystone in Waipara. The region’s predominantly small, privately owned wineries have been joined by a vibrant wave of interesting and well-made natural wine labels such as Bryterlater, 15 Minute Bottles, Lele and Vita. Lele and Vita recently collaborated to launch Lillies, an urban winery, cidery and restaurant in Christchurch. While most of the region’s wineries are in the warmer Waipara subregion, there’s still activity further south in the region’s volcanic hills. This includes the organic Tussock Hill overlooking the city and the new Caldera Wines on Banks Peninsula (formerly Meniscus), whose wines are made by Hermit Ram’s Theo Coles. Riesling was once North Canterbury’s signature variety, with the region still boasting half of Aotearoa’s riesling planted. It produces some of the country’s finest examples, but there’s been a move towards celebrating chardonnay as its key white. Pinot noir is the most planted variety, with the region producing world-class examples ranging from concentrated and complex to light and aromatic.

Waitaki Valley

Known for: Being the coolest region

Waitaki Valley, New Zealand’s coolest little wine region, lives up to its name in more ways than one. Located a short drive inland from Ōamaru, with less than 60ha of vines planted, it’s the second-smallest region. It also has the country’s coolest climate, which is great for flavour intensity and freshness, but not so much for winegrowers’ nerves in chillier vintages. Winegrowers were initially drawn here from 2001 by the Waitaki’s limestone-rich, north-facing hillsides. These are well suited to pinot noir, its dominant variety, yielding elegant, fresh, red-fruited examples. It also makes some crisp, intense and minerally pinot gris, riesling and chardonnay from vineyards, including those on flatter sites. Its marginal climate may have been too much for some of the earliest pioneers, but the likes of Valli and Clos Ostler (formerly Ostler) have been making consistently impressive Waitaki wines for more than a decade. Visitors can sample Valli’s wines and compare its Waitaki pinot with its Central Otago expressions at its charming, recently opened Valli Wine Bar in Kurow. Central Otago’s Te Kano Estate has also invested in the region, acquiring vineyards and Waitaki’s first winery, formerly Pasquale.

Central Otago

Known for: Subregional developments

It’s pinot central in New Zealand and one of the world’s most southerly wine regions. In Central Otago, pinot noir covers 80% of the vineyards. Its characteristic deeply coloured, thrillingly fresh, and plush fruit style has made it an international star. However, as its vines have aged, subregional differences have started to emerge from its different soil, climates and aspects. These range from lighter, fresh and savoury styles – the likes of cooler Gibbston, to the deeply fruited and structured examples from warmest stony vineyards of Bendigo. Central Otago is also a New Zealand leader in organic viticulture, aided by its dry climate and passionate small producers. With 30% of its vineyard area now certified organic – the highest proportion in Aotearoa – the region aims for 50% by 2030. Attractive cellar doors from its majority of small producers are spread throughout the region. An overview can be had at Kinross in Gibbston, which offers regional wine flights as well as wines from its great local partner wineries, Coal Pit, Hawkshead, Valli, High Garden, and Wild Irishman.

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