Northland, as its name suggests, is New Zealand's northernmost wine-producing region, situated about 130 miles (210km) from the country's largest city, Auckland. Most of Northland's wineries are situated around the Bay of Islands and on the west coast near Kaitaia. The region is perhaps best known for its red wines, mostly produced from Syrah, Pinotage and the hybrid variety Chambourcin.
Although Northland's contribution to the New Zealand wine industry is minuscule (in 2013, the region crushed 130 tonnes of grapes, compared to Marlborough's 250,000), it is important historically. The first vines were planted in the Bay of Islands in 1819, a full 30 years before missionaries began planting in the Hawkes Bay. The founding father of viticulture in the Antipodes, James Busby, had a vineyard at his house at Waitangi before going on to establish the Hunter Valley wine region in Australia. This Waitangi property is also where New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed in 1840.
In the late 1800s, kauri-gum diggers from Croatia began to move into the area in search of fortune, bringing winemaking traditions from their homeland. While viticulture in the region has never been viable on a large scale, Northland's boutique wine industry is growing fast, with the Northland Wine Growers Association (formed in 2007) boasting a membership of more than 50.
Northland's sub-tropical climate is unique in New Zealand. Warm, humid summers and rainy winters are challenging for growers, who must employ careful vineyard techniques to avoid mildew and rot. Site selection is vital – humidity is reduced in vineyards that are exposed to cooling winds from the Pacific Ocean or the Tasman Sea, neither of which is ever more than 30 miles (50km) away from any of Northland's wine sites.
The soils vary across Northland, ranging from hard sandstone to dense, poorly drained clays. While few of these soils are ideal for viticulture – vines perform better on dry, free-draining soils – growers have managed to seek out the most suitable sites for grapes. Vineyards located on easy slopes with volcanic soils perform best, producing rich wines with flavors of spice and stewed fruit.
Northland is not well known for its wine-growing, even within New Zealand, and the wines made here are rarely found outside of the region.
