Wine Guide with Cork & Fizz - Wine education for beginners and enthusiasts

Why New Zealand Wine Is More Than Sauvignon Blanc

• Hailey Bohlman | Wine Educator • Episode 124

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Ep 124


Did you know there’s more to New Zealand wine than just Sauvignon Blanc?


In this episode, we explore the world of New Zealand wine beyond its iconic Sauvignon Blanc. While Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough may have put New Zealand on the map, there’s so much more waiting to be discovered. From Chardonnay and Pinot Gris to Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Bordeaux-style blends, the country produces an incredible range of wines that deserve a place on your table.


We’ll learn a little bit about New Zealand’s wine history, as well as why Sauvignon Blanc became the nation’s global calling card, and explore the regions shaping the future of its winemaking. From the innovative Chardonnay of Hawke’s Bay to the aromatic whites of Nelson and the elegant Pinot Noir of Central Otago, this episode uncovers the hidden gems that rarely leave the country but absolutely should.


You’ll also discover tips for finding these wines outside of New Zealand and how asking your local shop can make a real difference in what’s available. So, if you’re curious about the wines New Zealand has to offer beyond Sauvignon Blanc and want fresh ideas for what to look for at your local shop, this episode is for you.


Thank you to the following brands for sponsoring this podcast:


  • Wine.com: Go to Wine.com/corkfizz and use code CORKFIZZ for FREE shipping on your order over $150. (Limit one per customer.)
  • Vacu Vin: Go to us.vacuvin.com and use code CORKANDFIZZ for 20% off your order!
  • BonChocolats: Go to bonchocolats.com to order some delicious artisan chocolate (that actually pairs well with wine)!



Resources: 


Episode Highlights:


  • How New Zealand’s wine industry overcame early obstacles to flourish

  • Why Sauvignon Blanc became the country’s signature grape

  • Key wine regions of New Zealand and their specialties

  • Hidden gems to watch for: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Bordeaux blends

  • Wineries that export to the U.S. and Canada and how to ask for them at your local shop

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Email - hailey@corkandfizz.com

Interested in learning about wine, but not sure where to start. You're in the right place. Welcome to the Cork and Fizz Guide to Wine podcast. I'm your host, Hayley Bowlman, and I'm so glad you're here. I'm a wine enthusiast turned wine educator and and founder of the Seattle based wine tasting business, Cork and Fizz. It is my goal to build your confidence in wine by making it approachable and lots of fun. You can expect to learn everything from how to describe your favorite wine to what to pair with dinner tonight, and so much more. Whether you're a casual wine sipper or a total cork dork like myself, this podcast is for you. So grab yourself a glass and let's dive in. Hello and welcome back to the Cork and Fizz Guide to Wine podcast. Today I have a fun episode for you. I mean, they're all fun, let's not lie. But we are talking today about New Zealand wine. And if you've ever had a New Zealand wine, my guess is you've had a Sauvignon Blanche. And my goal with today's episode is that we are going to go beyond just New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc because there is so much amazing wine being made in this country. And to be fair, not a lot of it is making it outside of New Zealand. But hopefully the more that people ask for it, the more that you know about it to ask for it, we can change that. And the reason that I was inspired to do this is actually my. Some friends of mine went to New Zealand for their honeymoon and they brought back this really excellent bottle of New Zealand Chardonnay. And it just, it really blew my mind. I kind of had one idea of the wine that New Zealand makes. Obviously I really shouldn't have. I mean, you know, each country makes a lot of different wine, but I just had the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in my head and like, that's what they make. And then they brought this bottle out and poured a glass and it was fantastic. And I was like, where are they hiding this and how do I get more of it? So again, the goal today, we're going to go beyond Sauvignon Blanc. We're also going to talk about why Sauvignon Blanc became New Zealand's iconic wine. And then we'll go into. I'll talk a little bit about geography of New Zealand. I highly recommend as, I mean, not maybe as you're listening to this, especially if you're driving or something, but if you can, I have in the show notes a link to a map of the wine regions of New Zealand. Definitely take a look at that either as you're listening to this, if you are safely able to, or look at it afterwards just to kind of give you an idea of, you know, I think a visual sometimes helps along with the listening. So enough rambling, let's get into it. So let's start first with talking about why Sauvignon Blanc became New Zealand's iconic wine and why these other varieties and other grape styles or other wine styles style, stay under the radar. So to do that, let's talk a little bit about the history of New Zealand wine. So New Zealand wine started there was around 1839, there was a Scotsman, James Busby. He successfully made the country's first wine and wrote of New Zealand's promise as a wine producer. He talked about climate and terrain were exceptionally well suited to grapevines. However, it would be another century and a half before a solid wine industry would take hold. Hold. Many of the pioneering New Zealand winemakers were English and had no history or experience in grape growing. So when they started trying to make wine again, a lot of the wine wasn't super great. Then, of course, there was a relentless temperance movement in New Zealand. So for much of the 1800s, after, you know, this James Busby makes this wine, wineries couldn't actually sell their wine to consumers. They could only sell to hotels for banquets and they had to have special permits even to be able to sell then. It wasn't until after World War II that bottles were allowed to be sold in wine shops. And it wasn't until the 1960s when wine could finally be sold in restaurants. But there was a 10pm cutoff. So again, there were a lot of things that were holding back the wine industry in New Zealand. The tables only turned for the New Zealand wine industry when alcohol sales became less regulated at the end of the 1960s, New Zealand lost some of its vital export advantages for meat and dairy following the UK's accession to the European Union community in 1973. So then they had to turn to their wine production and boy, did they turn to their wine production. From 1960 to 1980, New Zealand's wine production rose from 4 million to 50 million liters. And the most successful wine of them all was the Marlboro Sauvignon Blanc, especially from producers like Cloudy Bay. And that put New Zealand on the global wine map. The challenge now is that although producers are interested in showing that New Zealand is more than just a one trick Pony with their New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Communicating this diversity internationally is not easy. So hopefully with this podcast, you listening to this, we are going to change that. So let's dive right into some hidden gems that you should know about other types of wine. Obviously, there is way more than just what I'm listing now, but these are kind of the top wine varieties that I found beyond Sauvignon Blanc that I think you should keep a lookout for. So let's start with the white. So in terms of white wine, beyond Sauvignon Blanche, you're going to see Chardonnay, like that beautiful bottle that I got to enjoy, Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Grigio. And then you're going to see a lot of aromatic varieties. And when I say this, these varieties are called aromatic because that is their main thing. They have so many aromas coming out of them. So some aromatic varieties that are coming out of New Zealand include Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Viognier. Now, New Zealand also makes red wine. I know, believe it or not, a country famous for Sauvignon Blanche makes some really great red wines. These include Pinot Noir, which I think is probably the most common and the easiest to find outside of New Zealand, and, like, the easiest to find as a New Zealand wine outside of that country. I've definitely seen New Zealand Pinot Noir in wine shops around Seattle, but they also make Merlot, Syrah and Bordeaux blends, which are the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc style of blends. Much of New Zealand wine beyond Sauvignon Blanc doesn't make it out of the country. So I'm going to do my best to highlight some wineries as we're talking about each of these wines that make these hidden gems that actually distribute to the US And Canada. I'm not saying these are going to be the easiest to find, but I think they are possible to find. And I'll share a little bit later on about how we can try to get these into wine shops more. So let's talk about the grapes, but I'm going to talk about the grapes by going through the regions of New Zealand wine, or the wine regions, I suppose I should say. And we're going to do that by first, I'm just going to give you a general overview of wine regions in New Zealand. And then we're going to start from the north island and start in the north of the north island and then make our way south. And like I Said if you are able to right now pull up that image of the map of New Zealand one, I think that will help as we walk through that. But if you can't listen, imagine it. And then when it's safe to do so, you can take a, take a look at that map. So New Zealand is a narrow island country and it is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. This means that no vineyard is more than 75 miles from the coast. So no surprise, there's going to be a coastal ocean influence that moderates the temperatures. And this results in a maritime climate across the country. Basically mild winters, cool summers. However, these regions receive a lot of sunlight. And this is due to barely any pollution in the thinning ozone layer. This sunlight allows the grapes to achieve optimum ripeness without super high alcohol levels. A lot of times when you're in an area that has a lot of sun, you're going to get way too much sugar, which is going to result in super high alcohol. But here it allows them to get to that ripeness because you have that coastal influence moderating the temperature. And so those two things just work beautifully in tandem. And like I said before, the country is split into two major islands. You have the north island and the South Island. So let's start with the North Island. This island is generally warmer. It is closer to the equator. Remember, we are in the Southern hemisphere and this is where you'll actually find more of the Bordeaux style reds and the Syrah. So let's talk about some little sub regions. So in the far north you have Northland. I don't have a lot of information about wine being made here, so I just wanted to mention it to you. Next, moving south, we have Auckland. This is the birthplace of New Zealand wine industry. It is home to some of the largest wineries in the country. A sub region of Auckland is the Wahiki Island. And this island is known for their Bordeaux blends and their Syrah. So a lot of big, bigger style reds coming from this region. Then if we keep moving south and actually head to the east coast of the north island, you will find Gisborne. The winemakers here focus on innovation and are making more diverse white wines like Gewirch de Minor and even Viognier. These are those aromatic whites, remember? But truly, what Gisborne is known for is Chardonnay. It's often called the Chardonnay capital, but of New Zealand, these Chardonnays are highly aromatic with rich, lush palates that are bursting with fruit. They're typically meant to be easy drinking, but some of the more intense versions have great longevity. Think like a white Burgundy from France. Now moving south, we are at Hawke's Bay. This is New Zealand's second largest wine region after Marlboro. It is best known for red blends and Chardonnay. So red blends, meaning a blend might not necessarily be a Bordeaux blend, which is like the blend of grapes from Bordeaux France, but still is going to be a blend of lots of different red grapes. They are also known for aromatic white varieties and Syrah. So a lot of variety in this area. I love producing this podcast for you every week, but here's the truth. It's not free. That's why I'm so grateful for sponsors like the following brands supporting me so that I can share everything I love about wine with you. If you're able show them some support back. I'll be honest, I never really believed chocolate could pair well with wine until I partnered with Bon Chocolatz for a local event. 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It'll taste just as good a week later with pizza. Go to us.vacuvin.com and use code corkandfizz for 20% off your first order. I'm so grateful to the sponsors who help make this podcast possible and Today's sponsor is one I personally love. Wine.com youm know I'm all about exploring new wines, but let's be real, it's not always easy to find unique bottles, especially if you're limited to what's near you that's why I love shopping on wine.com they have a huge selection wines at every price point, user friendly search features and real wine experts ready to help you find your next favorite bottle. And here's a special deal just for you as a podcast listener. Get free shipping on orders over $150@wine.com corkfizz with promo code Corkfizz My recommendation, build a mix of 6 to 12 bottles to try some you know, some you never heard of. Not sure what to pick. Message me. I'd love to help or take advantage of the live chat wine experts@wine.com the Syrahs from Hawke's Bay are more perfumed and elegant with ripe fruit, supple tannins and this lingering spice. Think more like a Rhone style, the Rhone Valley of France versus the more big, bold fruity style from Australia, which is actually obviously New Zealand's neighbor just to the west. A standout here for Syrah from Hawke's Bay that is imported into the US is Craigie range. I don't know if I'm saying that right. Craigie is C R A G G Y Craigy range. So you can ask about that. I'll mention this again later on, but when I talk about these wineries that import, the thing is they import into the US Then they have to be picked up by a distributor who distributes the wine to different wine shops and then that's where you can purchase. So how you can potentially find this is to go to your local wine shops and ask them if their distributor can get a hold of this wine. They will reach out to the distributor and see if they can get it to you. And the more we ask for it, hopefully the more it shows up. Another great wine from this region, right? We're still in the Hawke's Bay and that is Chardonnay. Te Mata Winery in Hawke's Bay has been producing legendary Chardonnay since 1984. King of Chardonnay, Tony Bisch also works as Te Mata as a winemaker. And the special feature of this winery, what they do with the Chardonnay is they age it in wine eggs. And those eggs are made partially of wood and partially of concrete. So it gives the Chardonnays a really special texture and additional complexity. I have actually seen the Te mata chardonnays on wine.com so if you check that out and I think we actually still have. Well, depending on when you listen to this, they are one of my sponsors for the podcast wine.com so I think we might even have a deal. So Keep listening or check out the show notes to see how you can get a discount. I believe it's free shipping@wine.com if you want to try the Te Mata Chardonnay. And then the last thing I'll say about Hawke's Bay is there's actually another sub region within Hawke's Bay called Gimblets Gravels. And you'll never guess what kind of soil they are known for. Yes. Yeah, it's gravel, gravelly soil. So here they make a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. There's a lot of gravelly soil in Bordeaux, which is what makes these grapes do so well there. And so they do really well here in New Zealand as well. And you will see the Syrah being made in these gravelly soils. The last region on the north island is Wairapa. And this is where you'll find Martinborough. It looks kind of like Marlboro finishes in the same way, but it's Martinboro. And this region has a climate and soil profile similar to that of Burgundy France. So they make really delicious Pinot Noir along with Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. Now moving to the south island, this island is obviously a little cooler of a climate. It is the island most famous for Marlboro Sauvignon Blanc, but there is so much more than that. So again, we're going to start now. We're on the south island, but we're still going north to south on the South Island. So at the very top you have Marlboro. This is our largest, the largest wine region in New Zealand, accounting for 75% of the country's wine output. They make mostly Sauvignon Blanc, but also some Pinot Noir as well. Moving south, you have Nelson, though. Actually, I guess Nelson is kind of more. I believe it's more west of Marlboro. So maybe we're not totally moving south, but Nelson is a small region where there are a lot of artisan winemakers and they're doing small scale production. So that's where you're going to find a lot of experimentation. You're going to see some aromatic whites here that Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewirchtminer. They're also making some really lovely Pinot Noir. Then we have the region of Canterbury. This is the largest region size wise. So it spans nearly 200 km of the South Islands eastern coastline has a cool dry climate with good sunshine, long growing season. So that promotes the full varietal expression. It allows these grapes to really just like, imagine, like, you're just, like, allowing them to come into their own, right? Like, you're giving them a chance to, like, really become what they want to be. And so the wines here are renowned for their intense flavors, richness, and complex fruit. You're going to see a lot of Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Within Canterbury is Waipara Valley. This area produces really vivid, eloquent Rieslings that just have a lot of strength to them. They've just got that acidity and that profile that is just really special for a Riesling. The soils are more gravel and clay, which those grapes obviously love. And the last region I'm going to talk about is Central Otago. And honestly, beyond Marlboro, I feel like the other region that I've seen a decent amount of New Zealand wine from is, like, in the U.S. i mean, is Central Otago. And so I'm going to mention quite a few wineries within this one that import into either the US or Canada or both. So this region is the furthest south on the south island, but they also have the Alps just to the west of them. And so those Southern Alps act as a rain or cloud shadow that shields this region and creates the perfect dry, sunny climate for Pinot Noir. Central Otago and Pinot Noir are two things that just, like, go together beautifully. So some Pinot Noir producers to look out for. You have Black Estate. This winery imports just into the us and then there's also Felton Road Winery. This winery imports into Canada and the usa. This region also known for making more of those aromatic white wines. So there's a great Gewurchtraminer that you can find at Ripon. This is a winery that imports both into Canada and the usa. It's one of the world's most beautiful wineries. Ripon is, and their wine, you know, this Gerwirtztraminer is just a true selling point. Outside of French regions of Alsace, there is not a lot of Gewurichtraminer that is grown very well. So New Zealand is one of the few places globally where this white grape, excelsior. Central Otago also emphasizes purity of fruit. So you're going to see a lot of interesting Rieslings coming from this area with the glacial terraces and ancient soils. Prophet's Rock has a few Rieslings that would be great to try. And Prophet's Rock imports to Canada. And like I said, for each of these wineries, just go ask your local wine shop, and there is a chance that one of their distributors is going to be able to find this wine. Maybe not right away, but in the future they'll know that people are asking for it. And the more people that ask for it, the more likely it's going to show up on our shelves. Okay, let's recap real quick. While New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is great, there are many other grapes that grow in this region and wines to be on the lookout for. In particular, I recommend looking for in terms of white wine, you're going to look for Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and George Germinor. And for reds, look for Pinot Noir, Syrah and Arbor d' Eau blends. Ask your local wine shop for these lesser known varieties from New Zealand so that they know there's an interest. Even if they don't have it now, if you keep asking for it, they're gonna know that they should get it on their shelves. One of the main troubles finding something beyond Sauvignon Blanc for New Zealand is there isn't enough interest. But we can change that. I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Cork and Fizz Guide to Wine podcast. If you love this episode as much as I did, I'd love it if you could take a quick second to rate it and leave a review. And if you know a wine lover in your life that would enjoy this, please share it with them. It would mean the world to me. In next week's episode, we're talking about three major structural components in tannin, acidity and body. And even if these words sound familiar, I still recommend listening to the episode. By the end, you'll know exactly what the are and how to taste for them. And hey, you might learn a fun new trick. Thanks again for listening. And if you want to learn more about wine, come follow me at corkandfizz on Instagram. Cheers.

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Hailey Bohlman

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