Wine & spirits: The other down under

The first thing you need to understand about New Zealand is that the climate is upside down compared to the northern hemisphere. This little factoid may seem banal at first, but it does shed some light on why the wines of the north are fuller than the wines of the south. Just as cool-climate wines like those from Canada, northern France and Germany attain lightness and delicacy while southern wines from warm regions like California, the Rhône and Mediterranean Spain develop body and power, so too do the wines of New Zealand exhibit similar characteristics - only in reverse.

The next surprising tidbit explains why you may encounter wide stylistic differences in New Zealand wines. On a world map, the country appears much smaller than it really is - a little "David" lost in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean and overshadowed by its "Goliath," Australia. The fact is that, end to end, New Zealand would stretch from Vancouver to the Mexican border. Changes in climate from the north to south of the country are just as dramatic.
New Zealand comprises two big islands and a teeny-tiny one called Stewart Island located at the extreme south end of the country, where there is no significant wine industry, since penguins and grapes tend not to thrive in the same environment.

On North Island, red varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and, increasingly, Syrah thrive in grape-growing districts around Auckland, Gisborne, Wellington and especially Hawke's Bay. There, big-flavoured, powerful, long-lived wines are produced.

South Island is home to the expansive vineyards of Marlborough, a dried-up riverbed that accounts for more than half the country's wine output. Other emerging regions include Nelson, Canterbury and Central Otago, where cooler temperatures are more conducive to producing delicate reds like Pinot Noir, the perfect wine to drink with the spring lamb that New Zealand breeds so well.