New Zealand Wine: Waipara/Canterbury – Part 1

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

After spending the night in Marlborough, we drove about 200 km south to the Waipara/Canterbury region. The drive was spectacular; the amazing scenery seems to be present in every corner of the country. The first commercial wine operation here was in the 1960s, and today, Waipara/Canterbury is the fourth largest wine-producing region in the country. In a recent blog on the area, Rebecca Gibb wrote that Waipara has three soil types: Glasnevin gravels, Glenmark glacial clays and limestone-derived clays. 

For Marcel Giesen and Sherwyn Veldhuizen, co-founders and winemakers at Bell Hill Vineyards, limestone was what brought them to the region. After an in-depth study of the property, they began planting vines in 1997. Sherwyn and Marcel focus entirely on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – these two varieties account for 60 percent of the region's production. However, their main interest is that their wines – besides delivering their characteristic fruit flavors and aromas – also encapsulate the site where they grow. The soil rich in limestone definitely adds a savory or "mouthwatering" effect to the wines. Bell Hill’s production is very limited, as Marcel says, with "only nine barrels and half" of their superb wines. 

After Bell Hill, we drove to the Pegasus Bay winery, where we were received by chief winemaker Lynnette Hudson. Lynnette spoke about her extensive experience not only in New Zealand, but also in Burgundy where she worked at Roumier. For Lynette, Burgundy is the pinnacle; it is a place for inspiration. But after 20 vintages, she knows that New Zealand is not Burgundy. She knows that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in New Zealand express themselves in totally different ways. "We have a different fruit profile," she notes.

Watch the video to see our visits to these wineries unfold.

-JGAL