Northfield Wines


Northfield Wines Napa and Waipara
The

Waipara

Valley is in North Canterbury in the south island of

New Zealand

, 40 minutes drive north of Christchurch International airport and Christchurch City. Whereas

New Zealand

is mostly known for excellent

Sauvignion Blanc

,

Waipara

also produces premium

Chardonnay

,

Pinot Noir

,

Pinot Gris

, and

Riesling

.

Its latitude equates to that of the south of France in the northern hemisphere. On the east side of the valley lie the Omihi Hills that protect

Waipara

from the cooling winds of the Pacific Ocean. To the west lie the Southern Alps from whence the region’s famous hot nor’west winds derive. Its sheltered position, but proximity to the sea, give it warm days, cool nights and a dry autumn, resulting in a very prolonged ripening period. This promotes intense flavor development and optimal ripeness, while retaining good natural acidity.

Soils in the region range from silt to stony alluvial soils close to the

Waipara

River to chalky clay loams that are often rich in limestone on the hillsides. Due to Canterbury’s slightly cooler climate and clay soils, the

grapes

grown here are likely to have more primary fruit characters than Marlborough, 3.5 hours to the north.

Canterbury

/

Waipara

is

New Zealand’s

fourth largest wine region.

Grapes

were first planted in

Waipara

30 years ago; in the last 10 years interest in the area has exploded and many large, new

vineyards

are being established.

Pinot Noir

and

Riesling

are the most widely planted varieties in

Waipara

, totaling about 60%.

Chardonnay

,

Sauvignon Blanc

and

Pinot Gris

are also important varieties in the region.

The fascinating diversity of local

terroir

, sites and producers is the greatest strength of the

Waipara

Valley and the key to the characterful

wines

produced here. Then there is the proximity to top tourism attractions - thermal hot spring resort Hanmer Springs and the seaside town of Kaikoura, famous for whale watching, are both within two hour’s drive. Each year the region’s producers come together in March for the

Waipara

Wine

and Food Festival held in the historic Glenmark Domain.