Central Otago

Central Otago, the world’s southernmost wine region, shares the 45th parallel south latitude with renowned wine areas like Burgundy and Oregon's Willamette Valley, and is New Zealand’s only true continental climate wine region, with hot summers, cold winters, and extreme diurnal temperature variations which are ideal for cultivating high-quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Aromatics.

The region's dramatic landscapes not only enhance its natural beauty but also play a crucial role in shaping the distinctiveness of its wines. The vineyards span over 2000 hectares, and are high-altitude, planted on schist, gravel, and loess soils. Sub-regions like Bannockburn, Gibbston Valley, and Bendigo each result in unique wine styles. With a reputation for handcrafted, high-quality wines, Central Otago has become a global benchmark for cool-climate winemaking.

“It’s much further south than any of New Zealand’s other wine regions. The pioneers were regarded as certifiably crazy planting grapes down here.” Grant Taylor, esteemed winemaker and pioneer

Central Otago Sub-regions

All of the main winegrowing sub-regions lie within close reach, with the distinctive mountainous terrain providing each with a unique climate, aspect and altitude. The extreme climate requires careful site selection for vineyards, which in turn encourages winemaking with an increased focus on sub-regional expression.

Bannockburn is the warmest and driest sub-region, producing rich, structured Pinot Noir with deep concentration. The schist-based soils provide excellent drainage, enhancing flavour intensity.

Gibbston Valley, by contrast, is the coolest and highest sub-region, where vineyards sit on steep, rocky slopes. Soils are shallow, rocky schist, which retain warmth, and wines have a typical light, floral style.

Bendigo is the hottest sub-region, with north-facing slopes and schist-loess soils producing full-bodied, dark-fruited Pinot Noir.

Alexandra is the southerly sub-region, the climate is dry, winters are cold, summers are hot, and there are extreme temperature shifts right up to harvest, which leads to vividly varietal, aromatic, finely structured wines.
The Cromwell Basin is Central Otago’s wine production hub, with warm, sunny conditions and glacially influenced soils. Pinot Noir here is balanced, fruit-forward, and refined.

About 80km north of Queenstown, Wanaka is the smallest and most scenic, of the sub-regions. It’s cooler and slightly wetter than the rest of the region, and Lake Wanaka provides welcome reflected radiation and mitigates frost producing delicate and vivid wines.

Pinot Noir
The iconic variety. Wines are rich, concentrated, and expressive, with red and dark berry flavours, spice, and fine tannins. Sub-regional styles vary, for instance Gibbston Valley produces elegant, perfumed Pinot Noir, while Bendigo and Bannockburn offer fuller-bodied, structured styles.

Chardonnay
Wines typically offer bright citrus flavours, white stone fruit, and flinty minerality, often with subtle oak aging. The region produces textural, well-structured wines with crisp acidity, particularly from Cromwell Basin and Bannockburn.
Aromatics

Riesling
Rieslings stand out: styles range from dry and mineral to lusciously sweet, flavours are typically lime, green apple, and honeyed complexity. Pinot Gris wines are lush and aromatic, and Gewurztraminers showcase lychee, rose, and spice.

Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is more tropical and textural than Marlborough’s style, with refreshing acidity and dry, stony finishes.
Others

Winemakers produce perfumed and delightful rose, and complex yet delicate ‘Method Traditionelle’ sparkling.

(Infographic by New Zealand Winegrowers)

Geographical Indication (GI) and Provenance

In New Zealand, a Geographical Indication (GI) is a designation that identifies a wine as originating from a specific region, attributing certain qualities, reputation, or characteristics to that area. The Central Otago wine region, renowned for its exceptional Pinot Noir, was officially registered as a GI in 2018, providing legal protection and recognition to its unique terroir.

Within Central Otago, the sub-region of Bannockburn has also achieved GI status. On February 1, 2022, the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office registered Bannockburn as an official GI for wine production, acknowledging its distinct contribution to the region's viticulture. These accreditations ensure that only wines produced in these specific areas can bear the respective GI labels, safeguarding their authenticity.