Among the countries of the New World, New Zealand was one of the last to start planting vineyards and making wine. Which is hardly surprising: the first New Zealand colonists were the British (I am speaking here about modern geopolitics and will skip the earlier Māori history). And at that time the British had considerably more experience drinking wine than making it. Besides, the first century and a half were not particularly favorable for New Zealand winemaking, and the industry only began to develop properly in the 1970s. Yet today New Zealand is one of the rising stars of the global wine world, and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, combining the floral-fruity aromatics typical of the New World with the sharp flavors and chalky acidity associated with Old World wines, is considered by many to be the finest Sauvignon Blanc in the world.
Continue reading New Zealand Viniculture: History, Regions, Grapes and Styles
