The Soils Central Otago’s vineyards benefit from a wide variety of soils, ranging from fine sand and heavy silt loam to rocky schist. In the south-west of the region are Clyde and Alexandra (7%), while the remainder (3%) are located around Wanaka, where vineyards run down to the lakeshore against a backdrop of snow- clad mountains and glaciers. A further 20% of plantings are found around Gibbston, where most vines occupy north-facing slopes and terraces above the dramatic Kawarau Gorge. The Cromwell Basin accounts for 70% of the region’s vineyards and includes Bannockburn in the south, Lowburn, Pisa and Bendigo to the north. The Sub Regions Central Otago is comprised of four distinct sub-regions, separated by mountains and deep gorges. The first modern commercial wines of the region were produced in 1987, made with experimental grape plantings from around Queenstown, Wanaka and Alexandra. Feraud’s stone-built winery – Monte Christo in Clyde – still survives today and his wines, sold in blue bottles that can be seen at Clyde Museum, won prizes in Sydney and Melbourne competitions. Coming from a wine- making family, he made his fortune in the Dunstan gold rush of 1862 and quickly recognised the region’s outstanding potential for grape-growing. History The first wine-making grapes were planted in Central Otago in 1864, by Frenchman John Desire Feraud. Production of sparkling wine, made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, has also been well-received internationally. The variety accounts for more than 85% of vineyard plantings, with Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling making up the majority of the rest. Although small in size, Central Otago is a rapidly developing wine region with a well-established international reputation for Pinot Noir. Burgundy and the northern Rhone in France, and Oregon’s Willamette Valley in the USA, are all at latitudes between 45º and 47º north. Located at 45º south, it shares unique geographical and climactic conditions with some of the world’s most prestigious wine-producing regions. Central Otago Wine Map A Guide To Wineries & Vineyards Central Otago is the most southerly grape-growing region in the world.Central Otago Wine Map Central Otago, New Zealand: Wine Map - A Guide To Wineries & Vineyards
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