In the untested wine culture of New Zealand , the up - and - coming Wairarapa region is starting to capture a lot of attention . This rural , bucolic expanse near the southern backsheesh of North Island has seen a steep increment in wine yield over the previous 25 years . Because of its propinquity to Wellington , people sometimes refer to Wairarapa as the " Wellington wine-coloured region . " The vale is a little more than an hr ’s thrust – a scenic one that winds around Wellington Harbour over the Hutt Valley and Rimutaka Hills – from the capital . Here a thriving tourist trade has grown up around the realm ’s wine trails .
The largest township and commercial-grade center in Wairarapa is Masterton , but the substance of wine-colored country is Martinborough , a small armed service townsfolk in which the streets trace the shape of the British masthead , the Union Jack [ germ : Wines From Martinborough , ] . The town was in declining pass until the 1980s , when scientists discovered the sphere ’s untapped viticultural potential . The wine industry swiftly read over Martinborough , and brought its economy back to animation . Now loads of winery are settle near the town center , and a plethora of cafes , restaurants , and layer and breakfast cater to weekend Wellingtonians and other wine tourists . Gladstone , Masterton and East Taratahi are homes to extra wineries . Almost all the winery of Wairarapa are little , dress shop operations . Quite a few have developed excellent repute and have won national awards .
While the first New Zealand wines to score on the spherical market were whites boast Sauvignon Blanc , the Wairarapa region has raised the profile of Pinot Noir , a grape that is unremarkably considered to be a challenge to convert into fine quality vino [ informant : Dalley ] . However , the area ’s amenable clime and soil also produce an array of vines such as Merlot , Chardonnay , Pinot Gris , Syrah , Riesling and Gewürztraminer . Let ’s explore the abbreviated but interesting history of Wairarapa wine .
Wairarapa Wine Region History and Culture
Unlike the celebrated vino area of Europe , New Zealand bears no ancient or medieval custom of viticulture . Its history began only as Europeans settled on the islands in the early 19th hundred . Settlers from England , France , Spain , Germany and Croatia were among the first vintner .
William Beetham and his French wife Hermanze , view as New Zealand ’s first commercial-grade winemaker , found the first known Wairarapa vineyard at Lansdowne , near Masterton , in 1883 [ generator : Wines From Martinborough , ] . Toward the oddment of the century , an Italian viticulturalist , Romeo Bragato , became the government ’s vino expert with a position in the Department of Agriculture [ source : Dalley ] . tour the body politic in 1895 , Bragato confabulate Lansdowne and praise Beetham ’s product , declaring it a sign of the region ’s wine - producing potential [ germ : Kelly , Martinborough Business Association ] . The fulfilment of this potential was cut light a few year subsequently due to Prohibition . The Lansdowne Vineyard arrest producing wine , and was eradicate a few age later when Masterton became a " no - license zone " [ author : Wines From Martinborough ] .
The Temperance Movement eventually subsided , and winemaking in New Zealand picked up again in the sixties and 1970s . Martinborough ’s first vinery was planted in 1978 . The following year , the part got its big break when a account pen by Dr. Derek Milne of the government activity ’s Department of Scientific and Industrial Research was published . The report singled out the Martinborough domain as a potentially strong wine - producing area , because the nature of its soil and climate are similar to prime French wine - grow region such as Burgundy [ source : Kiwi Wineries ] . The report stated that local condition create a particularly worthy home ground for the Pinot Noir grapevine .
Wine enthusiasts soon bought up properties in and around Martinborough . Among the Modern vineyards were Dry River , Ata Rangi and Chifney Wines [ source : Martinborough Business Association ] . Winemaker Larry McKenna link Martinborough Vineyard in 1986 , and the wine maker soon began to win national acclaim ; in 1989 its Pinot Noir , Chardonnay and Riesling all were awarded trophy at Air New Zealand ’s one-year vino competition [ seed : Destinations Live ] . The realm has continued to come in of age , and is now home to a pregnant share of the country ’s best - regarded wines .
Read on to learn about Department of Agriculture and viticulture of the part .
Wairarapa Wine Region Agriculture
Throughout its history , Wairarapa has been an agrarian district and remains so today . The major industry is animal farming ; two - thirds of the region ’s terra firma is devoted to livestock , principally sheep and cattle . dairy farm cattle remain a braggy industry in the area . Before the comer of the vino setting , the country ’s most lionise cultural event was probably the annual Golden Shears sheep - shearing rival in Masterton [ beginning : Schrader ] . Lamb is a democratic component of the regional cuisine choice , and a good lucifer with the local reddish wines .
The climate is coolheaded , dry and very favorable for growing grape . The pile to the west protect the valley from the harsher weather , though the region gets substantial pushover that serve temper the vines . The growing season is long , and autumn is especially affectionate , ironic and long , allow the fruit to maturate past the point of ripeness [ source : Wines From Martinborough ] . Several rivers , let in the Ruamahanga , run through the region , bringing alluvial qualities to the ground . Limestone from prehistoric times also feed into the character of the territory and the vine [ source : Murdoch James ] .
vinery incorporate a large proportion of the realm ’s solid ground . In fact , Wairarapa ’s wine - producing area has reduplicate in the preceding decade , while the number of single winegrowing operations has produce by two - thirds [ source : Wines From Martinborough ] .
If you ’re ready to try a trash of the region ’s best Pinot Noir or other variety , move on to the next Sir Frederick Handley Page .
Famous Wines of the Wairarapa Region
Martinborough and the Wairarapa neighborhood represent only 3 pct of the wine produce in New Zealand by growing area . However , its boutique winery have accept more than their portion of honour and recognition , leading to the depiction that the region " punches right smart above its weighting in terminus of achiever [ germ : Wines From Martinborough ] . " The region has acquire a reputation for consistent timber .
Pinot Noir is by far the region ’s leading varietal , commanding more than half of available vineyard space . Others cultivars include Sauvignon Blanc , Chardonnay , Pinot Gris and Riesling , with smaller quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Syrah and Gewürztraminer [ reservoir : Wines From Martinborough ] .
Among the leading brands from Wairarapa are :
For more wine - tie in information , visit the connection on the next page .
