Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand’s Champion Wine Region

Discover what makes Hawke’s bay the best place to try premium wines

New Zealand’s Oldest Wine Region

Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s oldest wine region, dating back to 1851 when missionaries planted vineyards to make sacramental wines. By the 1920s, a thriving wine industry called Hawke’s Bay home, and some of the early wineries are still operating today – Te Mata, Mission Estate and Church Road among them.

Volcanic and Geologically young Soils

Hawke’s Bay’s varied soil patterns make it the most versatile and diverse wine-producing regions in New Zealand. These soils, mostly volcanic and geologically young, have been deposited in the area by rivers over time. Free-draining sand, silt and clay are all common, as is gravel, which is present in the very best vineyard sites. Any discussion of Hawke’s Bay would be incomplete without mentioning Gimblett Gravels, a terroir comprising shingle soils and warm temperatures that are particularly suited to growing Syrah and Bordeaux Blend varieties. The gravels were laid down by a river, the Ngaruroro, which changed its course after a flood in 1867.

Perfect Winegrowing Conditions

The warm, dry summers and long autumns experienced in Hawke’s Bay are excellent for viticulture. The maritime climate means that the warmth brought about by long sunshine hours is moderated by the Pacific Ocean. This coastal influence is reduced moving inland, as the Hawke’s Bay’s varied topography provides shelter from the prevailing weather systems. Vignerons must choose their sites carefully to take advantage of the region’s complex mesoclimates.

Ultra-Premium Wines focus

Hawke’s Bay winemaker’s focus is on the production of ultra-premium wines from a great diversity of grape varieties, more than any other region in New Zealand.

Over the years, the region has won international acclaim for its very high-quality Bordeaux-style reds and full-bodied Chardonnays. Syrah, Hawke’s Bay’s ‘Hero’ wine, is produced in a classic European style with strong black-pepper and floral aromas followed by ripe powerful flavours.

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