Thirty five years ago, the economy of Marlborough, the viticultural super power of New Zealand, depended largely on mixed and sheep farming. That changed forever with the first planting of vines in 1973, and the release three years later of its first wines, Muller Thurgau and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Today Marlborough‘s economic wellbeing is based on wine. It is renowned the world over for its distinctive, pungent and zesty wines, spearheaded by Sauvignon Blanc, the variety that catapulted the region into world prominence. The success of Sauvignon Blanc on the world stage sparked a boom of vineyard development that continues to this day. Marlborough towers above every other wine region, with plantings exceeding 10,000 hectares and set to grow to over 11,000 hectares by the end of 2007.
Marlborough is considered the Sauvignon Blanc capital of the world, so it is not surprising that this variety dominates plantings throughout the region. But it should not be overlooked that Marlborough also produces worldclass Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and methode traditionelle wines.
The region consistently records the most sunshine hours in New Zealand and, importantly, the weather is dry leading up to and during the crucial harvesting period. The long hours of sunshine that develop ripeness are balanced by cool nights to provide wines with the zesty characters that are the hallmark of Marlborough. The largest cluster of vineyards and wineries, among them some of New Zealand‘s premier wineries, are located in the gravelladen Wairau Plains south of the delightful town of Blenheim. There are also a number of other subregions around Fairhall, Hawkesbury, Waihopai and the side valleys and hills of the Wairau Valley.
The soil types and mesoclimates vary in these subregions so that the wines have distinctive characteristics.
The Awatere Valley subregion, located 15 kilometres southeast of Blenheim, is geographically different to the Wairau Valley, where gently rolling hills stretch from Clifford Bay through Seddon, on to Rossmore and beyond. The Awatere Valley is slightly cooler than the Wairau Valley and this is reflected in its wines, which are elegant and stylish.
Marlborough has styled itself as The Gourmet Capital of New Zealand, and the wine trail certainly offers not only a bounty of awardwinning wines but also a superb range of local food. Lamb, salmon, olive oils, preserves and gourmet delicacies are readily available at farm gate stalls, and the Summer Sunday Farmers‘ Market offers a wonderful array of tempting specialty products.
