Winemaking

• Cabernet ripens two to three weeks after Merlot, and many regions are too cool for the grapes to fully mature.
• Many of New Zealand’s Cabernet vineyards were planted in fertile soil. As a result, the vines produce too much foliage. Without aggressive canopy management, the leafy vines provide too much shade and slow the ripening process even further.
• The relatively widespread presence of leafroll virus also slows ripening.

Recently, New Zealand has begun to produce higher quality Cabernet Sauvignon. Growers are planting healthier vines in warmer vineyard areas – like Hawke’s Bay – and in soils with better drainage and less fertility. They’re using improved canopy management techniques to keep yields low and concentrate flavors.

Today the country produces some excellent wines in the style of the lighter reds of Bordeaux: blends of Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. In these blends, Cabernet Sauvignon adds firmness and longevity to the softer fruitiness of Merlot.

Hawke’s Bay cultivates 70% of New Zealand’s Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The grape is also grown in some areas of Auckland.

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