Northland , the northernmost tip of New Zealand ’s North Island , is often called " the place of origin of a nation . " Not only is it the first place where the Maori come to New Zealand , but it ’s also where the Maori and the British formalise their agreement for joint colonization of the island . For wine lovers , Northland is important because of another first : the introduction of vines to New Zealand dirt .

For several centuries , the traits that make Northland a jaw - droppingly beautiful office keep viniculture from study off in earnest . Northland has the globe ’s largest remaining ancient woodland , with the awe - instigate kauri tree diagram , which stand in semitropic pelting forests . But " semitropic rain wood " is not the clim­ate one typically finds in a wine part . So Northland viniculturists have had to overcome several challenge in pursuit of the perfect red .

­Visitors to Northland are richly rewarded . The part has earth - famed swimming , snorkeling , dive , fishing , surfriding , waterskiing and other aquatic sports . Locals are also avid batch bikers , backpackers and hiker .

To their keen credit entry , New Zealanders screw they ’ve get a good affair , and many locals are not just outdoorsmen but also ardent environmentalist . In 2007 , Prime Minister Helen Clark announced the destination of make the Carry Nation the universe ’s first sustainable commonwealth [ source : McLaren ] . Marlborough ’s Grove Mill recently introduced the humanity ’s first carbon copy - neutral wine-colored [ source : Dunn ] .

This clause await first at the history of New Zealand ’s oldest neighborhood , and then we ’ll take a spell of Northland ’s Agriculture Department and the vino it grow .

Northland Wine Region History and Culture

Humans make it in Northland roughly a thousand years ago , when the Maori explorer Kupe landed at Hokianga . Kupe is still celebrated today – many contemporary Maoriiwi , or tribe , trace their origin back to him .

In the 18th century , follow the expedition of Captain James Cook , European colonist began to arrive . Some were pursuing the whale and sealskin trades . Some wanted to glean kauri Tree and gum . Others had higher aims – they were missionaries . All of them brought guns an­d disease – major scourge to Maori society .

Several major wafture of in-migration follow to Northland in the 19th hundred – from Nova Scotia , Ireland , Wales , the Dalmatian coast and Britain . you’re able to still pick out Scots and Croatian name among the Maori and English place names around the country .

The arriver of so many different groups created conflict , as it has in exchangeable situations around the human beings . The Bay of Islands was once call the " hellhole of the Pacific " [ source:100 % Pure New Zealand ] .

For a few decade , however , the accord had the opposite of its destine effect : It led the Maori to tell apart the colonist as a grave threat to Maori culture and land . ( Many Maori conceive that , in position of possession , each generation hold the solid ground in faith for the next . ) In response to the threat , some chieftains set out conducting raids and other irregular onslaught against British settlement , touching off the Maori Wars . Fighting lasted until 1872 .

20th - hundred urbanization integrated the two cultures with comparative thoroughness . Although some problems of inequality persist , they are less marked than in many other former colonial area . Active movements to preserve Maori culture and speech have lead in a solid contemporaneous Maori personal identity .

Today Northland ’s population numbers in the hundreds of chiliad . But some country still belong to nature . There are no high - rise buildings or dealings lights – anywhere – north of Whangarai . Perhaps it ’s no coincidence that this surface area also contains most of Northland ’s vineyard . For a looking at their uprise methods , read on .

Northland Wine Region Agriculture

New Zealand ’s thriving wine industry began in Northland [ source : Wine Searcher ] . The first grapeshot were found in 1819 by missionary James Marsden , but industrial viniculture is relatively recent here – it did n’t start up in sincere until the 1990s . Northland remains the smallest of the New Zealand wine regions , with viniculture concentrated in just three areas : Kaitaia , the Bay of Islands , and near Whangarei .

In several ways , New Zealand ’s viticulture refuse schematic wisdom . Many wine regions experience prominent temperature magnetic declination between night and day . The hot days and cool dark of Spain , for object lesson , help give local grapes such as the Mencía their typical flavor . Not so in Northland . High humidity help the strain continue heat , so once the temperature is lovesome , it stays warm .

However , Northland ’s humidness and loosely pie-eyed climate mean that growers here must be careful about rot . Recently growers have begun to try out with rotting - insubordinate melody of red grapes . The best root , for now , seems to be to focus on duncical - skinned grapes – such as Syrah , Cabernet and Pinotage – which have more lifelike defence against mold [ rootage : Northland Wine Company ] .

Merlot and Syrah grapes also come well here because of the long grow time of year . Northland has virtually no freeze , ever . It ’s nearly tropic . In fact , it usually has New Zealand ’s warmest uprise season . The grapes can abide on the vine for a tenacious , ardent clock time , allow the crucial shekels to accumulate .

Some soil in the Northland region is volcanic – highly mineral and well - drained . Elsewhere it has eminent concentration of Lucius DuBignon Clay or sandy clay . Most vines are grown on flats or easy side , not the steep hillsides you encounter in many other wine realm .

How does all this warmth wreak out in the bottleful ? Find out on the next Thomas Nelson Page .

Famous Wines of the Northland Wine Region

Many New Zealand wineries are relatively small – but that means there ’s fortune of way for individualism , interesting experimentation and a sense of humor . The region ’s standout grapevine – but by no means its only one – is the Syrah .

Marsden Estate bears the name of the orbit ’s first viniculturist , and it ’s appropriately prominent . Marsden ’s Black Rocks Chardonnay has won numerous gold medals , and its Pinot Gris is worth a appreciation . Marsden ’s principal red is Syrah , but Pinotage and Cabernet Merlot are also important , and the Chambourcin is acquire ground . Marsden also bring forth a port wine .

Okahu Estate ’s Chardonnay is illustrious , and Okahu ’s Kaz Shiraz , a Syrah , gain the first gold medal ever give to a Northland wine . Like many Syrahs of New Zealand , it contains notes of Chuck Berry and white pepper .

Cottle Hill produces a sort of red ink and whites , include some unusual flavors . Among the standouts are Pinot Noir , Pinot Noir Rose , Merlot , the blend Pheasant ’s pass , the Muscat Bay Breeze , Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc . Other favorites admit a tawny port , a rare livid port and a Federweisser , a unseasoned wine-coloured for Easter ( which is an fall holiday in the southerly hemisphere ) .

Karikari ( formerly Carrington ) Estate offers Bordeaux wine - style Bolshevik as well as Syrah , Viogner , Pinotage and Chardonnay . Karikari maintains several label , some of which import grapes from other estates . The Silver Bay and Carricon labels use some grapes from elsewhere in New Zealand , but the Karikari label keeps it local .

Omata Estate is known for its Syrah , but it also grow a Merlot , a Chardonnay and a dessert Chardonnay . Northland Wine Company produces Rhone styles , particularly Syrah and Viogner . The Chambourcin from Ake Ake , the youngest vineyard in Northland , also deserves a mention . Ake Ake has been around only since 2006 – this is an up - and - comer to see .

In New Zealand , the custom of thehongi– a Maori salutation exchanged by press noses together – is still alert and well . But why not give your nose a full exercise ? fall go the wineries of Northland .

To learn more , visit the links on the next page .

Lots More Information

source