Rippon Vineyard in Autumn. Image credit: Thirst Press.
In this episode of Wine for Normal People I catch up with Elizabeth to chat about Central Otago – an area my family has spent many years in. Although Central Otago accounted for only 2% of total production in New Zealand for 2016, the wine from this region is well worth going the extra mile to track down – so pour yourself a glass and take a listen!
There are just under 2,000 ha (approximately 4,700 acres) under vine in Central Otago and nearly 80% is devoted to the region’s signature grape, Pinot Noir. In this episode we have a chat about the modern winemaking history of the region, sub-regions, the climate and soil together with some suggested itineraries for your visit and a well kept secret of the region – sparkling wines and white wines!
Here are some of the wineries, listed by sub-region, that we talk about and this is just the tip of the iceberg!
Alexandra
Bannockburn
Bendigo
Gibbston Valley
- Bald Hills
- Brennan Wines
- Chard Farm
- Coal Pit Wines
- Gibbston Valley Winery
- Mt Rosa Wines
- Wet Jacket Wines
Wanaka
Simone Madden-Grey : Happy Wine Woman 
Reblogged this on Amateur Wine Buff and commented:
Great blog on Central Otago and Podcast with Wine for Normal People. Check out the rest of Simone’s blog at https://happywinewoman.com
Thanks so much! Very grateful to have connected with you via the podcast! 🥂
Just listen to the podcast myself and loved it. I have a buddy traveling in New Zealand now trout fishing sent the blog along to him to see if he might get to try some of the wines. I’ll be following your posts. Great stuff.
Thanks! Central is an excellent area for trout fishing and there are so many great wines to match with the catch! 🥂