Marlborough, the famous wine region in New Zealand, has long been considered as one big region, mostly planted with sauvignon blanc.
Now, there is a clear wish among the producers to understand more about the different sub-regions and how they actually influence the character of the wines.
Also, other grape varieties are important for Marlborough and may need different conditions to sauvignon blanc to grow well. That is amply illustrated on our New Zealand wine tour where there is a wide range of varieties on the menu.
Drone imagery is now set to help producers better understand Marlborough’s diverse wine regions. AMW (Appellation Marlborough Wine) chairwoman Sophie Parker-Thomson says the drone imagery will be used as part of AMW’s digital wine map, an interactive map of the sub-regions, from the Southern Valleys and Central Wairau to Awatere and the Pacific wineries on the Southern Coast.
The Marlborough geographical indication covers a fairly large area. In the north, it starts in Picton, where the ferry arrives from the North Island, and then extends down to just south of Kaikōura, the small town, famous for its delicious seafood.
Appellation Marlborough Wine is an organisation created in 2019 as a counter weight to the huge quantity of Marlborough sauvignon blanc that is sold in bulk. To be certified as AMW, the wines must be made from 100 % sauvignon blanc from Marlborough. And, very important, the wine must be bottled in New Zealand.
The appellation has now been expanded to include all grapes grown in Marlborough, so it is no longer just sauvignon blanc.
Read more: nzwine
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