Wine from North Canterbury
The region is home to 90 + vineyards, most of them independently owned by a close-knit community of local families.
With some of New Zealand’s most diversified land formations, from the volcanic to clay and limestone soils, the region lends itself to highly varied and interesting soil types.
Concentrated and expressive wines are grown here – particularly Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Black Estate is one of North Canterbury's prime producers.
About the wine region of North Canterbury
The North Canterbury wine region spans nearly 200km of the South Island’s eastern coastline, with the magnificent Alps to the west and the sweeping Pacific Ocean to the east.
The cool, dry climate with good sunshine and long growing season promote full varietal expression; wines are renowned for their intense flavours, richness and complex fruit.
Exploration of new subregions inland from North Canterbury towards Weka Pass, forecasts increasing depth, further cementing the region’s overall reputation for elegant, expressive Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Aromatics in particular, though numerous other varieties are planted with excellent results.
The region is home to 90 + vineyards, most of them independently owned by a close-knit community of local families.
North Canterbury Subregions
- Waipara Valley: An hour’s drive north of Christchurch, producing vivid, eloquent Rieslings going from strength to strength. Soils are gravels and clays. As sites and meso-climates are explored, evermore distinctive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay emerge. Though the drying nor’wester can challenge, the surrounding hills offer protection and a slightly warmer climate than the rest of Canterbury.
- Canterbury Plains: A large area with vines planted from Banks Peninsula on the outskirts of Christchurch, west to Rolleston and West Melton then sweeping northward towards Waipara Valley, this predominantly flat (or very gently contoured) land has free-draining, shallow greywacke-based gravel soils and a slightly cooler climate.
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061 5880822
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