Marlborough is New Zealand's most important wine region by far. It is particularly famous for its pungent, zesty white wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape variety.

Wine-Searcher editorial

Last updated 07-Mar-2024

River terraces in the Awatere Valley

©NZWA/Babich Wines

Table of Contents

• Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
• Other Marlborough white wines
• Marlborough red wines
• Marlborough sparkling wine
• Vineyards and production output
• Growing conditions
• Marlborough growing zone
• Wairau Valley
• Southern Valleys
• Awatere Valley
• Marlborough wine history
• Wine tourism
• Most Popular Marlborough Wine

Situated at the northeastern tip of the South Island, this dry, sunny region is home to more than 500 growers and produces more than three-quarters of all New Zealand wine.

Vineyard area exceeds 27,800 hectares (68,700 acres). This equates to around two-thirds of the national total.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc accounts for over 80 percent of vineyard surface area and more than 85 percent of regional production. The variety exploded onto the world wine scene in the 1980s and 1990s, to the rapture of wine critics and consumers around the globe. Such was the success of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough that it is widely regarded as the variety's New World home.

The wine is noted for its relative lack of subtlety, its intense flavors of green pepper and gooseberry, and a character that has been famously described as "cat's pee on a gooseberry bush". There is some scope for regional variation; for example from the Awatere Valley as mentioned above.

Lees aging and other techniques can make a subtle difference. Oak aged examples can be found, and are more clearly defined from the archetypal style, though not common.

There are few New World wine regions so closely associated with a single grape variety as Marlborough is with Sauvignon Blanc (with the possible exception of Mendoza and its Malbec).

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc remains the bread-and-butter performer for the industry, and many wineries from outside the region own or lease vineyards, or buy grapes or wine to be able to offer this key product and strengthen their portfolio. Newer markets in Asia and the US, which are less familiar with the wine style, mitigate against a need for Marlborough to worry about diversifying towards other varieties at this point.

While non-packaged wine shipments (for own-brands and brands bottled in the market region) account for a little less than 40 percent of total volume, these still command prices of which other counties' bulk wine exporters would be envious. Indeed, the New Zealand wine industry, with Marlborough at the spearhead, has the highest average price per liter of any country exporting wine.

Other Marlborough white wines

The domination of Sauvignon Blanc here is market-driven; many other grape varieties also perform well here. Among the white-wine grapes, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling are the most common. The region's Albariño wines are also showing early promise, although plantings account for a fraction of a percent of the total. Many other white grape varieties are grown to good effect albeit on a tiny scale.

Marlborough red wines

In recent years, the region's earliest Pinot Noir vines have come of age, and are now producing some first-class wines. The wines are generally lighter and fruitier than those from Otago and Martinborough. There are around 2650ha (6550 acres) of Pinot Noir vines in the region.

Syrah and Tempranillo are among the more prominent of the support cast of red grapes, though volumes are nevertheless much smaller. Several estates grow Montepulciano.

Marlborough sparkling wine

Marlborough is also an important producer of quality sparkling wine, made in the methode traditionnelle from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Méthode Marlborough is a grower-led society dedicated to promote such styles.

Several of the bigger firms also make sparkling wines for everyday consumption from other white grape varieties.

Vineyards and production output

Vineyard area has increased markedly since the early plantings of the 1970s. In the last decade the rate of new plantings has slowed, but average output has increased markedly due to climate change and newer vineyards hitting full production.

That said, annual output can vary greatly from one year to the next. In 2014 22,900 hectares (56,600 acres) yielded more than 329,000 tons of fruit at 14.4 tons per hectare; the following year 23,400 hectares produced 233,000 tons at 10 tons per hectare. In 2018, yields were around 12 tons per hectare.

These variations in crop levels mean that producers often need to show a high degree of logistical ingenuity to manage the availability of mechanical harvesters and/or manual pickers (much less common and usually for smaller plots of the supporting cast of grape varieties), the transportation of fruit from vineyard to press, press capacities and tank space.

All of this also requires a high degree of cooperation between producers, and the Marlborough wine industry is known for its collegial attitude. The presence of several large contract winemaking facilities helps the region's wine industry to remain flexible and work together effectively.

Growing conditions

Sea breezes are a vital part of the Marlborough terroir. Sunshine during the day is tempered by the wind, leading to a substantial diurnal temperature variation. This, along with a sunny, dry autumn, creates a long growing season, which gives the grapes time to develop full, expressive varietal character without losing their characteristic acidity. Canopy growth often needs diligent management, probably due to high UV-B radiation levels in New Zealand.

Marlborough growing zone

The official Geographical Indication area stretches northeastwards up the Pacific coast from Oaro (south of Kaikoura) to Picton, a small port town in the Marlborough Sounds. Inland it reaches as far as St Arnaud. Outlying vineyard sites within this zone include Kekerengu – currently Marlborough's southernmost plantings – Ward, and Johanneshof Cellars' Maybern Vineyard between Blenheim and Picton. But there are three main subregions; the Wairau Valley, Southern Valleys and the Awatere Valley.

Wairau Valley

This long, straight glacial valley is home to around 45 percent of Marlborough's vineyards. It is home to the region's main center, Blenheim, and the Rapaura and Renwick sub-regions, has a warm, sunny climate cooled by winds from the Pacific Ocean. A river flood plain, it has very diverse soils, from stony river wash to deep alluvium.

Southern Valleys

The Southern Valleys zone runs just south of the Wairau Valley. It is slightly cooler and drier than the Wairau Valley. The topography is more influenced by the lower hillsides of the Wither Hill range. Soils were largely formed by glacial outwash, and include stony gravels, areas with more clay, and loess-covered hill slopes. The Waihopai Valley forms a section of this zone.

The existence of Southern Valleys as a separate entity is yet to be reflected on many bottle front labels, though it accounts for one quarter of all plantings across the wider region. As with the other subregions, user familiarity relies more heavily on single-estate wines as many producers often blend across the region. Major Marlborough wine brands based here include Spy Valley and Auntsfield.

Awatere Valley

This valley lies further to the southeast and parallels the other two, running from the coast inland past the small town of Seddon. It has the coolest climate due to its added proximity to the ocean on both northern and eastern sides, and can produce wines with a slightly finer acidity and mineral quality. It is also slightly drier than the other two regions.

The topography is a combination of river terraces and flood plains; soils are alluvial gravels and clay and wind-blown loess. Around 30 percent of Marlborough's plantings are located here.

Marlborough wine history

Although some vines were planted by settlers in the 1870s, commercial-scale viticulture did not begin in Marlborough until the 1970s, when the Auckland-based wine producer Montana (now Brancott Estate) surveyed the area and bought its first land there. The first large-scale vineyards were planted in 1973 and, despite early challenges with the region's dry soils and strong winds, Marlborough wines were already making a name for themselves by the early 1980s.

Rapid expansion followed and, by 1985, Marlborough was awash in a sea of average-quality wines. A government vine-pull scheme helped to re-establish balance somewhat, during which the high-yielding Müller-Thurgau vines that once dominated the region were replaced, mainly with Sauvignon Blanc

Wine tourism

The local wine industry is well set up to offer wine tastings and cellar door purchases. As well as the attractions of the Marlborough Sounds, the wineries and restaurants have made the wine region a tourist destination in it its own right, served by the airport at Blenheim, and lying on State Highway One close to the ferry port at Picton, which links the two islands. It is also well placed for visitors taking in Kaikoura whale-watching and exploring the neighboring Nelson region.