Nelson

Nelson is a small but vibrant wine region known for its sunshine, coastal influence, and artisan producers. With a mild maritime climate and high sunshine hours, it produces wonderful wines with bright fruit purity, balanced acidity, and elegance.
The region has two key sub-regions: the Moutere Hills, with clay-rich soils that add depth and texture to wines, and the Waimea Plains, with free-draining alluvial soils producing aromatic, fruit-forward wines.

Nelson is celebrated for its Sauvignon Blanc, which occupies over half of the region’s vineyards. The wine style is softer and more rounded than Marlborough’s. Refined Chardonnay, vibrant Pinot Noir, and expressive aromatics like Riesling and Pinot Gris make up the region’s diverse range.

Home to boutique, family-run wineries like Neudorf and Seifried, Nelson offers small-scale, high-quality winemaking, capturing the essence of its pristine coastal landscape.

“The Nelson Tasman region has an enviable Mediterranean and sunny climate, has a vibrant artistic and café culture, and offers a wonderful sense of tranquility and relaxation.” New Zealand Winegrowers

Nelson Sub-regions

The Moutere Hills, to the west of the city, are characterised by ancient clay-rich gravel soils, which retain moisture and contribute to wines with depth, texture, and complexity. The hills provide good drainage and natural warmth, allowing for slow, even ripening. This results in structured, mineral-driven Chardonnay, complex Pinot Noir, and concentrated aromatic whites. The sub-region’s microclimate, with warm days and cool nights, enhances flavour intensity while preserving acidity. This is where Nelson’s first vines were planted, and it remains the home of some of its finest wines.

The Waimea Plains, closer to the coast, feature free-draining alluvial soils composed of gravel, sand, and stony river deposits. Summing up the sub-region beautifully, Waimea is Maori for ‘river garden’. This traditional area for arable crops, orchards and hops has seen most of Nelson’s recent vineyard expansion.

The coastal influence moderates temperatures, ensuring wines retain freshness and vibrancy. Pinot Noir from Waimea is silky and elegant, while aromatic whites exhibit pure fruit expression and floral intensity.

Sauvignon Blanc
Nelson’s Sauvignon Blanc offers a more subtle, fruit-driven style compared to its Marlborough counterpart. Expect flavours of ripe citrus, passionfruit, and fresh herbs, with a softer acidity and a rounded mouthfeel.

Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is perfumed, fruit-forward, and beautifully balanced. With flavours of red cherry, plum, and subtle spice, these wines often have fine tannins and a silky texture.

Pinot Gris
Nelson excels in aromatic whites, particularly Pinot Gris, which is rich and textural, with flavours of pear, spice, and floral notes.

Chardonnay
Chardonnay from Nelson is refined and textural, showcasing stone fruit and citrus flavours, and flinty minerality.

Geographical Indication (GI) and Provenance

A Geographical Indication (GI) is a designation that identifies a wine as originating from a specific region, attributing certain qualities, reputation, or other characteristics to that location. It’s similar to ‘appellations’ in other countries.

The Nelson wine region was officially recognized as a GI in 2018. The designation ensures that wines labelled with this GI are produced from grapes grown within its defined boundaries, reflecting Nelson’s unique terroir and characteristics. It protects the authenticity of wines from the region, and provides consumers with confidence in the origin and quality of the wines they enjoy.