Pop into any liquor store in Australia and you'll be confronted by a tsunami of Marlborough sauvignon blanc and a mountain of pinot noir from Central Otago.
And that's largely it.
A syrah or a gamay noir from Hawke's Bay? A chardonnay from Martinborough?
Probably not.
Something from Waikato or the Bay of Plenty? Or Waiheke Island?.
Almost certainly not.
Which is a pity - because there is a lot more to New Zealand wine than the most obvious.
New Zealand's wine regions extend 1,100km from subtropical Northland down to Central Otago, home to some of the world’s most southerly vineyards.
The people from New Zealand's Made With Care project sent me a few wines to try recently and there were some outstanding examples among them, including a delightfully textural chardonnay from Palliser Estate in Martinborough that I will be looking to go out and buy, a vibrant gamay noir from Te Mata Estate and a very shiny syrah from Smith & Sheth, next door in Hawke's Bay.
New Zealand Trade & Enterprise is behind the 2022 Made with Care campaign in Australia.
It is part of a global initiative designed to raise awareness of New Zealand's produce; shining a light on "thoughtfully created and ethically manufactured" food and beverages.
NZTE’s Australia Pacific regional director Glen Murphy says New Zealand recognises that good food and wine does not just centre on taste.
“We have a responsibility to ethically create and sustainably produce food and beverages in a way that nurtures and protects the world around us," he says.
"New Zealand is beloved for its lush, green pastures, fertile soil, and cool, clear waters. It is an environment that fosters outstanding, great-tasting, nutritious food and drink, from a place you can trust.”
My care parcel also included very well-made, but more mainstream, wines from Invivo, Summerhouse and Greystone Wines, all confirming that it is well worth expanding your Kiwi wine horizons from the familiar brands and varietals.
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