Kumeu River

Region / Appellation

Auckland

Auckland has the distinction of being the historical birthplace of viticulture and winemaking in New Zealand. The first vines were planted in 1819 by Anglican missionary Samuel Marsden, though there is no record of wine being produced from the grapes. In 1839, Scotsman James Busby successfully made the country’s first wines. In the late 1800s, immigrants from the now-Croation Dalmatian coast came to New Zealand hoping to make their fortunes in the country’s gum fields, eventually turning to farming and grape growing.

Kumeu

Kumeu is a sub-region of the Auckland wine district, with a relatively cool, maritime climate influenced by the South Pacific Ocean. Summer temperatures are cool and winter temperatures are comparatively warm, without seasonal extremes: autumn is generally dry and sunny; however, extended cloud cover is not uncommon.

Marlborough

The Marlborough wine region is located in the northeastern corner of New Zealand’s South Island and is strongly influenced by a maritime climate. With flavor and structural profiles resembling California’s coastal regions, the area is known for producing some of the best Sauvignon Blancs in the world. Marlborough has 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) planted to wine grapes, one-third of which is Sauvignon Blanc. Its unique microclimate and free-draining, alluvial soil are perfect for growing Sauvignon Blanc. The region is very sunny with cool nights and moderate rainfall throughout the year. Marlborough also has a low, average maximum temperature in the summer and a very long period of effective ripening.