Canterbury

Canterbury, New Zealand’s fourth largest wine region, consists of two primary sub-regions: The Waipara Valley north of Christchurch and the plains surrounding Christchurch itself. Vines were first planted in the 1970’s, and are now known for producing excellent Chardonnay and Rieslings. A large part of their output is made up of Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, varieties they are yet to gain notoriety for, thanks to their more famous cousins to the South-West (Central Otago) and North (Marlborough) stealing the limelight. A stunningly beautiful place to visit, this is a region to watch as more and more vineyards start to lift the profile of the region with consistently good wines.

Terroir

On the Canterbury Plains soils are formed by the river deposits of the mighty braided rivers that snake across the plains.  The Rakaia and Rangitata rivers lie south of Christchurch while the Waimakariri lies to the north and north-west of the city.  The ancient course of these rivers has shaped the Canterbury plains and their legacy is free draining soil littered with greywacke stones, ideal for growing quality grapes.  The Canterbury climate is suited to viticulture as the region does not have big temperature variations between the seasons.  The low rainfall, warm dry autumn and cool evenings make it an ideal climate for cool climate wines.    The influence of the Pacific Ocean on Canterbury creates a maritime climate and tempers extremes of heat and cold. The warm northwest winds which reach the entire region increase total heat accumulation, making it high enough to ripen many varieties of grapes. The wind also dries out the vine canopy, which helps to keep away disease. Crucial to successful grape ripening is sunlight, of which Canterbury gets plenty. The cool climate retains in the grape many volatile aromatics which, being sensitive to heat, are lost in warmer climates.   Several mesoclimates exist in Canterbury.  A number of vineyards lie to the south of Christchurch in the protected valleys of Banks Peninsula, while 45 minutes north of the city is the acclaimed grape region of the Waipara Valley.  

Waipara Valley

To the east Waipara Valley is separated from the ocean (Pegasus Bay) by a range of hills which protect it from the cooling winds of the Pacific.  To the west lie the Southern Alps, from whence the region's hot nor'west winds derive.  Its sheltered position, but proximity to the sea, give it warm days, cool nights and a dry autumn, resulting in a very prolonged ripening period.  This promotes intense flavour development and optimal ripeness, while retaining good natural acidity.   The soil is free draining and of low fertility, resulting in naturally reduced vine vigour. This produces low yields of optimally ripened, high quality, flavourful grapes, which fully express the qualities of this unique setting.  In the southern area the soils are mainly alluvial silt loams over gravel subsoils while in Waipara they are chalky loams that are often rich in limestone.  Long, dry summers, abundant sunshine and relatively cool growing conditions are a feature in both areas although Waipara Valley, which is sheltered from the coast by a low range of hills, can be significantly warmer. 

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