As we all sit still and dream of travelling to far away lands, it’s time to start to make your list of the places that truly pull at all of your heart strings with adventures and excitement.
New Zealand is one of those places. Full of laid-back charm, untapped wilderness, rich culture and premium wine and food – it needs to be the next place you decide to explore. And even though we can’t travel at this very moment, we can all design experiences that tap into our senses and help to reaffirm our positive outlook on the world.
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The History
Split into two islands – North and South – New Zealand was discovered back in 1642 by explorer Abel Tasman. The name he gave to this land mass was “Staete Landt” which means “Land (discovered in honour) of the Governors (State) (of the Dutch Republic)”. On his return trip to Batavia Abel Tasman also discovered Tasmania (Van Diemen Land), Fiji and Tonga. Upon his return to the Dutch Republic it was decided to change Staete Landt to its present name “New Zealand” (Nova Zeelandia).
Why You Should Go
The entire country is filled with spectacular glaciers, picturesque fjords, rugged mountains, vast plains, rolling hillsides, subtropical forest, volcanic plateau, miles of coastline with gorgeous sandy beaches and so much more! In fact New Zealand’s oldest rocks are over 500 million years old – making the region a mecca for wine growing.
Wine regions in New Zealand produce pure, fresh, elegant wines that are truly unique, memorable and really delicious. In fact, 96% of the vineyard area is Certified Sustainable and 10% of them are certified organic, making them an even better choice for your palate.
Get Out Your Liquid Passport!
So let’s open up our liquid passport and head to New Zealand’s most recognized wine region – Marlborough. Nestled at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, it is one of the world’s most distinctive and exciting wine areas. In 1975 the first Sauvignon Blanc vines were planted in Marlborough and now it is New Zealand’s most widely planted grape variety. Marlborough is one of New Zealand’s sunniest and driest regions. From ancient soils, grape vines grow and thrive, and it is here that the sun first touches the earth every single morning. The wine growing regions are temperate and maritime in climate and when combined with its nutrient rich soils, the result is a growing environment totally different from any other in the world.
This zesty variety makes up 86% of all wine exported from New Zealand and every May International Sauvignon Blanc Day is celebrated by many across the globe. This day gives us all an opportunity to sip and celebrate the diverse styles of wine being produced. The classic style of Sauvignon Blanc is super aromatic and captures the senses with lush passionfruit, tropical, citrus and gooseberry characters – it is unlike any other wine you’ll ever taste. More and more we are beginning to taste diversity in winemaking and grape styles through the use of wild ferments, lees contact as well as fermentation and/or ageing in oak.
We all know and love Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, it’s a little taste of heaven for any person who has ever tasted and fallen in love with it. It’s aromatic, lush and simply delicious on its own or a perfect pairing with many seafood dishes, freshly shucked oysters, crab and spot prawns.
As spring enters into our cities and homes, it’s time to switch up your winter reds with crisp, pure and refreshing whites – and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect wine to greet warmer temperatures and spring fare. Even though we can’t get to New Zealand with our actual passports, our liquid passports enable us to see, smell and taste the world from the comfort of our own home.
Here are a few wines I would recommend for you to taste and explore:
