Marlborough
Lets Explore
Located at the top of the South Island on the East Coast of New Zealand lays the beautiful Marlborough region. From delicious seafood to valleys and vineyards, Marlborough is an exceptional area. A unique humble region which offers diverse landscapes, long sunshine hours and award-winning wines. A place everyone should be keeping their eye out for when they are shopping for some show stopping wines. Some of New Zealand's most popular wineries such as Babydoll, Cloudy Bay, Isabel Estate, Framingham, Spy Valley and Saint Clair all lay within the Marlborough region.
Marlborough's vineyards exceed over 27,800 hectares with over 500 dedicated growers. It is home to a premier wine region and a definite must visit place in New Zealand. Marlborough made their mark on the wine world map in the 1880's to 1890's with their production of the Sauvignon Blanc grape with many awards handed out and since, varietals have expanded into further grapes varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The Marlborough Climate
Because there's no where in the world quite like Marlborough.. diverse landscapes, coastal pathways, big valleys, strong winds and Marlborough Sounds, it truly is quite uniquely beautiful. There is a reason why Marlborough has a high wine-producing rate, the temperatures day and night and variation of soil.
Marlborough has a cool climate with moderate temperatures this provides those long sunshine hours that we all love and the grapes love, even more. The variation between day and night is moderate meaning the grapes get the affects of the temperatures when they are growing.
The Wairau, Awatere and Southern Valleys of Marlborough are the most popular areas for wine-growing. These areas offer very unique characteristics such as the sunniest sunshine hours as well as being some of the driest places in New Zealand. The cool climate condition as well as soil compositions go hand in hand and is why Marlborough wines have truly made their mark in the wine world.
Varietals
If we time travel back to the late 1880's, early settlers in the Marlborough region were planting vines. Fast forward 20 years and the Marlborough region is home to some of the most well known wineries and sort after wines! Marlborough is producing iconic and highly awarded grape varietals year on year! Sauvignon Blanc was the ticket to fame for Marlborough, producing internationally acclaimed Sauvignon Blancs from the beginning, which are most known for the grassy and intense flavours of green pepper, usually a bit drier with zesty characteristics. Covering 80% of Marlborough's wine growing areas, it is the most grown varietal.
Marlborough Chardonnay is another popular white wine varietal that Marlborough have been planting since the early 1880's. The Chardonnay grape often consists of a complex palate with very dominant aromas of tropical and citrus fruit which performs very well in the wider market. Let's also not forget about Marlborough's red wines, often known to be a lot lighter and fruiter then the popular Central Otago Pinot but of which performs just as well.
With the natural attraction of the beautiful environment Marlborough has to offer, a lot of Marlborough wines match well with the fresh seafood selection that is sought after by several chefs - Bon Appétit.
