description
Marlborough is one of the regions
of New Zealand, located in the northeast of the South
Island. Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the
picturesque Marlborough Sounds, and Sauvignon blanc
wine.
Marlborough's geography can be roughly divided into four
sections. Two of these sections, in the south and the
west, are mountainous. This is particularly true of the
southern section, which rises to the peaks of the
Kaikoura Ranges. These two mountainous regions are the
final northern vestiges of the ranges that make up the
Southern Alps, although that name is rarely applied to
mountains this far north.
Between these two areas is the long straight valley of
the Wairau River. This broadens to wide plains at its
eastern end, in the centre of which stands the town of
Blenheim. This region has fertile soil and temperate
weather, and as such has become a centre of the New
Zealand wine industry.
Marlborough's fourth geographic zone lies along its
north coast. Here, the drowned valleys of the
Marlborough Sounds make for a convoluted and attractive
coastline. The town of Picton is located at the southern
end of one of the larger sounds, Queen Charlotte Sound .
Marlborough can lay claim to starting the modern New
Zealand wine industry. Here in the late 1970s, Montana
produced Sauvignon Blanc, among other varieties, which
led to confidence that New Zealand could produce
exciting wine.
The majority of Marlborough's extensive vineyard
plantings are around Renwick, Blenheim, and Cloudy Bay
in the Wairau valley. Further south in the Awatere
valley are plantings near Seddon. These are for the most
part on old terraces of the Wairau and Awatere rivers.
The area is widely considered by many critics to produce
the world's best Sauvignon Blanc. See Cloudy Bay
Vineyards and Grove Mill. Also important is the
production of Methode Traditionelle sparkling wines,
particularly near Renwick, from Riesling, Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay. |
