New Zealand Winegrowers has published the 2020 edition of its Vintage Indicator .
▶New Zealand Winegrowers official website
This time, based on that data, we will bring you the latest vintage information on NZ wines.
What is a "vintage indicator"?
It is an index that summarizes the harvest volume of wine grapes for that year. Since NZ is in the southern hemisphere, the grape harvest ends in February to April, and the "Annual Grape Harvest Ranking" is announced around July.
In 2020, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions on travel and work were imposed within New Zealand.
This coincided with the grape harvest season, making it a tough year for producers, but the weather appears to have been ideal for grape cultivation, so there are high hopes for the wine.
Now let's take a look at the trends in grape harvest yields for 2020.
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Natchan
I'm 29 years old and work for a web company. I'm studying wine in the hopes of being able to enjoy it more.
- Iwasu is a sommelier who oversees this website. He runs a bar in Nagoya that stocks a wide range of New Zealand wines.
2020 grape harvest and recent production trends
According to the 2020 Vintage Indicators, the overall wine grape harvest was 11% higher than last year.| Vintage year | Overall yield |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 413,000t |
| 2020 | 457,000t |
* Unit of harvest yield: t = ton
Reference data: New Zealand Winegrowers NZ Wine Vintage Indicators by Region 2020
This year, the grape harvest has increased by 11%! What are the trends in New Zealand wine production?
Well, let me briefly explain the characteristics of NZ wine production in recent years!
- The Marlborough region accounts for more than 70% of the total harvest.
- As for grape varieties, Sauvignon Blanc accounts for more than 70% of the total harvest, followed by Pinot Noir .
- 80% of the wine produced is exported, and the volume of exports has been steadily increasing for the past 24 years.
First of all, a characteristic of wine grape production in New Zealand is that it is concentrated in one region and one variety .
More than 70% of wine is produced in the Marlborough region of the South Island, and more than 70% of the grapes produced are Sauvignon Blanc, a white wine grape variety.
It is rare to see wine production so concentrated in one region and one variety around the world.
Another major feature is that nearly 80% of the total production is exported , and the export volume has been steadily increasing over the past 24 years.
(Reference: New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report )
With these things in mind, let's take a look at the detailed figures and trends by region and variety for 2020.
Ranking of harvest yields by region
The yields by region are as follows:| region | Harvest yield (percentage) | YoY comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Marlborough | 343,036t (77.7%) | +12% |
| Hawke's Bay | 43,247t (9.8%) | +16% |
| Gisborne | 18,959t (4.3%) | +17% |
| Nelson | 11,579t (2.6%) | -6% |
| North Canterbury | 9,861t (2.2%) | +22% |
| Central Otago | 8,515t (1.9%) | -28% |
| Wairarapa | 4,472t (1.0%) | +2% |
Marlborough region tops harvest this year again!
Marlborough, which has the largest harvest by far, continued to grow its numbers steadily in 2020. It continues to maintain its position as one of New Zealand's largest producers. Hawke's Bay, the second largest producer, also saw a steady increase in its harvest.
This may be due to the good harvest of Merlot, the region's signature variety.
This year's harvest was down nearly 30% compared to last year in the cool-climate Central Otago region.
This is a bit worrying, as the region is renowned for its high-quality Pinot Noir, and there is a possibility that the volume of the "2020 Central Otago Pinot Noir" to be released in the near future may be reduced.
Ranking of harvest yields by grape variety
The yields for each grape variety are as follows:
| variety | Harvest yield (percentage) | YoY comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Sauvignon Blanc | 326,058t (73.8%) | +8% |
| Pinot Noir | 34,105t (7.7%) | +27% |
| Pinot Gris | 28,849% (6.5%) | +38% |
| Chardonnay | 27,568t (6.2%) | +7% |
| Merlot | 11,166t (2.5%) | +21% |
| Riesling | 4,510t (1.0%) | -6% |
Sauvignon Blanc increased slightly. Pinot Gris increased significantly!
The country's leading grape variety, Sauvignon Blanc, maintains an overwhelming share of the market, accounting for three-quarters of the total.
It can be said that the image of "NZ wine = fruity Sauvignon Blanc" has reached a stable level.
Among these, the rise of Pinot Gris is noteworthy. The Pinot Gris harvest in New Zealand has been increasing for some time, but in 2020 it finally surpassed Chardonnay to become the third largest variety.
Pinot Gris has been established as a standard white wine in New Zealand over the past 10 years. This is a trend that is not seen much in other countries. If exports increase in the future, I think there is a possibility that Pinot Gris will become an important variety that will take over after Sauvignon Blanc.
The Pinot Noir harvest was also strong, but unfortunately Central Otago, the premium Pinot growing region, saw a decline in the harvest, with the bulk of this figure likely coming from Marlborough, the giant producer of Pinot Noir.
By region, North Canterbury in the South Island saw an increase in harvest yields, so we'd like to draw attention to the quality of North Canterbury Pinot Noir in the 2020 vintage.
summary
We've brought you the latest information on NZ wines based on the 2020 "Vintage Indicator"!
When it comes to New Zealand wine, "Marlborough" and "Sauvignon Blanc" are synonymous, and this year's harvest results have only strengthened that impression.
However, there are many other regions in New Zealand besides Marlborough that produce high-quality wines that are recognized around the world, such as Central Otago and Martinborough. Be sure to try the wines from regions that are not ranked highly in the harvest yield rankings.
By variety, Sauvignon Blanc has maintained its No. 1 position this year, and Pinot Noir, which is highly regarded around the world and ranked No. 2, has also steadily increased its harvest. Pinot Gris, which is a symbol of the trend in New Zealand wine, is also one to watch. Also, we would like to pay attention to how Merlot, whose harvest has stabilized, will turn out as it matures.
The 2020 vintage wines are gradually coming into Japan in the form of "Nouveau", but it will be a while before 2020 New Zealand wines are fully lined up in Japanese stores. White wines will be available between this year and next year. Red wines tend to be aged for a long time, so they will probably be released one to several years from now.
If you have a chance to drink some 2020 wines in the future, please come back to this page and check the data again.
