Canterbury/Waipara | A premium wine region that continues to evolve

Canterbury, located in the South Island of New Zealand, is the largest region in the country and occupies a vast area known as the Canterbury Plains.

It is a diverse region with many attractions, and is home to thriving agriculture and livestock farming industries, as well as being the commercial centre of the South Island.

The beautiful grasslands are grazing with sheep. The rugged Southern Alps, with Mount Cook as its highest peak, and the crystal clear blue Tasman Glacier.

It is filled with breathtaking views that are truly symbols of New Zealand.

This Canterbury region is

• The largest area is called "Canterbury".
• The northern part of the country, where most wine producers are located, is called "North Canterbury."
• And inside there is "Waipara".

These three wine producing regions overlap and are classified as shown below.

The most important production area is Waipara.

Waipara has many wineries with restaurants attached, and is also easily accessible from Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island. It's easy to get there by rental car, so it's also recommended for day trips. There are also winery tours from Japan, so it's definitely a wine region you should visit at least once.

The history of wine in Canterbury is short, and it is still a new wine-producing region in New Zealand. Therefore, the number of wineries is small, and the production volume is very small at 2.1% (2019). It is also a rare presence in New Zealand.

In the past, there was a strong belief that grape cultivation would be difficult in the region's characteristic cool climate.

However, it has now been discovered that Canterbury's cool climate, ample sunlight, and dry climate are ideal for growing grapes, and its potential as a producer of high-quality wine has been attracting attention from around the world in recent years.

The most representative grape varieties in Canterbury are:

• Pinot Noir
• Riesling

These two types.

The fact that New Zealanders are able to produce high-quality wines of these two varieties all over the world is only possible because of their ambitious and innovative people.

Canterbury is also home to many small, family-run wineries, which despite their small size continue to produce attractive wines with distinct personalities.

Although Canterbury's history of wine is short, spanning only about 30 years, it is one of the most rapidly growing and evolving wine producing regions in New Zealand in recent years.

Cool climate wines, refined and elegant

New Zealand is known for the large temperature differences that occur within a day, so much so that it is said that there are "four seasons in one day ."

Canterbury has the coolest climate in the country.

During the summer (January), which is the grape growing season, the average maximum temperature is 22.7°C and the average minimum temperature is 12.3°C.

It is also a fairly dry region, with an average annual rainfall of 618mm. Compared to Tokyo, which has an average annual rainfall of around 1,500mm, this means that the area receives less than half the amount.

In fact, this low amount of precipitation is one of the important characteristics of the climate in Canterbury. This is because the optimal annual rainfall for grape cultivation is said to be 500mm to 900mm. Even within that optimal range, Canterbury is a drier place with slightly less rainfall.

Roughly speaking, there are three environments that are suitable for growing grapes.

• There is a significant difference between hot and cold.
• There is sufficient sunlight.
• Moisture control is working well.

The humid winds coming from the west hit the Southern Alps, a chain of mountains over 3,000m above sea level, and turn into clouds. The clouds bring a lot of rain to the West Coast on the other side, but they don't reach the Canterbury region on the east side, so it doesn't get much rain there.

However, despite this favourable climate, the Canterbury region was once considered difficult to grow grapes in.

However, the region has overturned this perception that it is "difficult" and has grown to become what it is today as a wine producing region.

This development was undertaken by producers who were dedicated to grape growing and had a strong conviction.

Pioneers who unlocked the potential of Canterbury

The first grapes were planted in Canterbury for winemaking in 1978, when wine producer St. Helena began cultivating grapes north of Christchurch.

However, until the mid-1980s, the prevailing view was that growing grapes in Canterbury's cool climate was difficult.

Meanwhile,

"Pinot Noir can be grown in Canterbury!"

There was one pioneer who proposed this. His name was Daniel Shester , who taught viticulture at Lincoln University in Christchurch.

Mr. Shester focused on growing Pinot Noir in the 1970s and 1980s, laying the foundation for the winery.

He remains an internationally acclaimed expert in grape cultivation, and is active at the forefront of the industry, working as a consultant and running a winery.

Pegasus Bay , a winery founded by the Donaldson family, is also an important presence in Waipara.

The Donaldson family has been making wine since the early 1970s and were pioneers of local winery business.

Since the establishment of Pegasus Bay in 1986, the company has produced a succession of high-quality wines and has been highly acclaimed worldwide as one of New Zealand's leading wineries. It is still widely known among wine fans as the driving force behind the spread of Waipara wine around the world.

Facing the land and gaining a deep understanding

"Making the most of the power of the grapes themselves and the individuality of the land."

These are the words of Mr. Shester, who realized that this land was suitable for growing grapes.

And indeed, producers like Pegasus Bay have proven that a deep understanding of the land can produce desirable wines.

It is their approach to Waipara's cool, dry climate and their ability to embrace it and incorporate it into their grape growing that has enabled them to produce rich, appealing wines.

What makes Waipara a premium wine region?

Waipara is about an hour's drive north of Christchurch.

Christchurch is the second largest city in New Zealand and the gateway to the South Island. It is about an hour and a half by plane from Auckland, the only city with direct flights from Japan, so it is a familiar city to many people from Japan.

As mentioned above, Waipara is protected from rain clouds coming from the west by the high Southern Alps, but that's not all. There is also a low mountain range to the east on the Pacific coast, which also blocks the winds blowing in from the sea.

This makes it a warmer climate than Christchurch.

In Waipara, mainly

• White Wine Grape Varieties

  • Riesling
  • Chardonnay
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Pinot Gris

• Red wine grape varieties

  • Pinot Noir

These varieties are cultivated.

Of the grape varieties grown in New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc accounts for 73.8% of the harvest (2020), and in fact, Sauvignon Blanc is overwhelmingly the most widely grown here in Waipara.

However, the two wines that are most highly regarded are Riesling and Pinot Noir.

Waipara's Sauvignon Blanc is often overshadowed by its bigger brother , Marlborough , but its Riesling and Pinot Noir produce premium wines of high quality and character.

This is because Riesling and Pinot Noir are varieties that only perform best in cool conditions, making them a perfect match for Waipara's cool climate.

Furthermore, Waipara's soil is known to be extremely compatible with Riesling and Pinot Noir.

So, next let's talk about soil. Let's take a look at the characteristics of Waipara's soil.

Different climates and soils produce different characteristics

The Waipara vineyards

• Inland clay soil
• Limestone coastline
• Sandy river basin

It is characterized by being planted in three major types of soil.

These different soils produce a variety of characteristics, including wines with beautiful acidity and rich fruitiness.

These local differences in soil cause the grapes planted there to have different aromas and flavors. By cultivating varieties suited to the characteristics of the soil, winemakers can create wines with unique personalities.

Wines that are made by discerning the unique characteristics of the land and successfully matching the land and variety are called "premium wines" and are highly regarded around the world.

Richly flavoured Waipara Pinot Noir

When it comes to famous Pinot Noir producing areas in New Zealand, there is Central Otago, which is attracting worldwide attention, and Martinborough in Wairarapa, which was a pioneer in the field.

But the Pinot Noir here in Waipara is no slouch either.

A variety with the potential to become top quality

Pinot Noir, which originates in the Burgundy region of France, is such a difficult variety to cultivate that it was once said to be "only capable of being produced in Burgundy."

However, it is also an attractive variety that has the potential to produce an exquisite wine if it is grown well in an environment with suitable soil and climate.

Basically, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and well-drained limestone soil. Waipara is a cool region in New Zealand and has good drainage, so it is suitable for growing Pinot Noir.

It also has a distinctive color. Pinot Noir is a grape with a low pigment content in the skin, so the wine usually tends to be light in color. However, Waipara is an area with a lot of daylight. Therefore, the skin of Pinot Noir, which tends to be light in color, becomes dark, and the wine also has a good color, resulting in a deep ruby red color.

In addition, thanks to the sugar produced by the ample sunlight, many of the wines have an alcohol content of over 13%, resulting in unique Pinot Noirs that are powerfully concentrated yet smooth and elegant.

Pinot Noir is known to have a different aroma and flavor depending on the soil. The diversity of soil means that there are many different types of Pinot Noir, which is one of the attractions of Waipara.

An innovative Riesling that makes the most of the unique characteristics of the Waipara land

Generally, wine grapes are grown best in poor soil, but this is especially true for Riesling. In terms of climatic conditions, it is best to grow them in cool, dry soil with a large temperature difference throughout the day.

In Waipara, Riesling is produced by taking full advantage of the large daily temperature differences and gravelly soil environment.

It has a pleasant sweetness, yet is firm.

Another characteristic is its crisp, clean acidity.

Yes, the biggest feature of Riesling is that it is versatile and can be dry, medium dry, sweet, very sweet, etc. In addition, it is a variety whose flavor can change greatly.

This is because it is a variety that is so greatly influenced by the soil that it is said to be a variety that faithfully reflects the characteristics of the land.

A wonderful combination of Waipara, with its diverse soil, and Riesling, which is heavily influenced by the land.

It's no wonder that everyone is paying attention to Waipara, where a variety of flavors are produced depending on the place of origin, as a place with potential.

Pioneer of Waipara wine: the prestigious Pegasus Bay

The most prominent and important winery in Waipara is Pegasus Bay.

Pegasus Bay was founded in 1986 by the Donaldson family, pioneers of the Canterbury wine industry. The founder, Ivan Donaldson, was originally a neurologist, but is also a wine writer and wine judge.

When he first started the winery, he and his wife, Christine, it is now run by the entire family, including their sons.

Pegasus Bay has built a reputation not only in Waipara but also as one of New Zealand's leading wineries. Although it is a family-run business, its distinctive wines have earned it high praise from around the world, and it has been selected as one of New Zealand's Top 5 Wineries by Robert Parker Jr., a famous wine critic.

The main varieties produced are Pinot Noir and Riesling, with the Riesling being particularly highly acclaimed.

Pegasus Bay's Riesling has a distinct acidity and a rich fruitiness. Taking full advantage of the Waipara climate's unique daily temperature difference and the mineral-rich gravel soil, the wine is produced in top class conditions.

Pegasus Bay is a family-run winery that strives to produce wines that are as natural as possible, with minimal human intervention.

▶ Pegasus Bay

The restaurant attached to the winery is popular. Wine that is close to people's lives.

Pegasus Bay opened a restaurant within the winery in 1992.

This lovely restaurant overlooking the gardens quickly became popular and the winery is now known as one of New Zealand's leading wineries.

Their restaurant serves dishes made with local ingredients, they have published original recipe books, and their work has been featured in magazines and even won awards, so it can be said that what they communicate has a great influence.

The winery also has a cellar door where you can sample the wines. Even if you don't have time to eat at a restaurant, it's definitely worth stopping by.

Koyama Wines: A winery that continues to take on new challenges

There is also a Japanese winemaker active in Waipara. His name is Takahiro Koyama and he runs the winery Koyama Wines.

Image source: Koyama Wines official website

Koyama came to Waipara because he was attracted by its potential as a region that produces high-quality wine.

"Great wine comes from great grapes"

With this belief, he began cultivating Pinot Noir and Riesling in the fields, hoping that this was the only place he could make his own wine.

Since then, he has been working closely with the land to create wines that express his own style.

After graduating from a university in the United States, Koyama returned to Japan and got a job, but his strong desire to be involved in manufacturing led him to quit his job and begin his career as a wine maker.

In 2003 he studied viticulture and oenology at the University of Lincoln in New Zealand, and in 2004 he began working as an assistant winemaker at Mountford Estate, a winery renowned for its Pinot Noir.

He further trained in Italy and Germany, honing his skills around the world, and founded his own company, Koyama Wines, in 2009.

In 2017, he also acquired his former winery, Mountford Estate, which was in financial difficulty and in decline, and became the owner of the winery.

▶ Koyama Wines

What is Koyama's winemaking like?

Koyama makes wine in a natural way, with as little human intervention as possible.

The vines are cultivated so that they can grow with the power of nature. The harvested grapes are crushed by foot and natural yeast is used. The Pinot Noir is bottled without clarification or filtration.

Simply put, this means that the process of increasing the clarity of the wine is omitted. This shows the desire to allow the strength of nature to be reflected in the wine in the bottle without any human intervention.

His wines, which reflect Mr. Koyama's sincere personality as he faces the grapes and the land head-on, have fascinated the people of New Zealand and are now considered masterpieces.

Koyama's winemaking style can be said to be an important bridge that brings the charm of New Zealand wine to us in Japan.

Lincoln University's prestigious

One of the characteristics of New Zealand is that there is pottery that allows people from overseas like Mr. Koyama to thrive.

One of the major factors in this is the presence of Lincoln University , where you can study winemaking.

Many of the people active in the New Zealand wine industry are Lincoln University graduates, and in addition to Mr. Koyama, there are many other Japanese winemakers.

• Mr. Sato of Sato Wines
• Mr. Koyama from "Green Songs"
• Kimura-san from "Kimura Cellars"

We are both from Lincoln University.

Lincoln University owns its own vineyards, and students can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for everything from cultivation to harvesting and brewing, making it the only university in New Zealand where students can study grape cultivation and winemaking.

Mr. Koyama of Koyama Wines also chose this major because it offers a curriculum that allows him to learn about cool climate wine regions.

It can be said that being able to study brewing at university level is an extremely valuable environment.

Founded in 1878, the University of Lincoln is the oldest agricultural school in the Southern Hemisphere and the third oldest university in New Zealand.

Although New Zealand has a short history as a wine industry, it has a long-standing culture of studying oenology, and it is clear that wine is a part of people's lives.

Canterbury continues to produce top quality wineries. What is the legend of "Bell Hill"?

Bell Hill is ranked second in the "New Zealand Top Wineries 2019" ranking, led by Master of Wine Bob Campbell.

Bell Hill is undoubtedly one of the wineries currently attracting worldwide attention.

Their uncompromising attitude has become legendary.

Bellhill is a small winery founded in 1997 by husband and wife team Marcel Giessen and Sherwin Verduitzen.

The wines produced by this small winery are said to be legendary.

This is because Bell Hill wines are extremely rare and hard to come by even in Japan.

This is no surprise, as Bell Hill's annual wine production is

• Chardonnay = about 1 barrel (about 300 bottles)
• Pinot Noir = 5 barrels (approximately 1,500 bottles)

This is an incredibly small amount, which is normally unimaginable.

These are sold out only through the mailing list, so it is extremely difficult to get your hands on one. It's no wonder they are called legendary wines.

Bell Hill, committed to its commitment

North Canterbury The history of Bell Hill began with the clearing of land that had previously been bare.

The surrounding area was originally a place where limestone, the raw material for chalk, was mined, and is covered with calcareous soil.

The land is so pure white that dust flies when the wind blows. The Chardonnay grown here is characterized by its firm structure and moderate acidity.

The grapes are grown biodynamically and painstakingly hand-picked, resulting in a tiny production that has become legendary.

The wines produced through careful completion of each step have a deep, wonderful flavor and are loved by many people.

▶ Bell Hill