Maritime Vines

“As land masses go, New Zealand is the youngest country on Earth, having been around for about three million years,” Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson writes for an article in the Winnipeg Free Press. “Averaging around 12km from west to east coast, it’s the only truly maritime wine-producing country. Canada imports the equivalent of about 85, cases of New Zealand wine a year, 35, cases of which is shipped in bulk for blending and cellaring. The other 5, cases hit the shelves, a big jump from the 3, cases we saw only 15 years ago. Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand’s baby — of the 85, cases shipped to Canada, around 64 per cent is Sauvignon Blanc. Forty-two per cent of all vines planted across the country produce Sauvignon Blanc, most made in a style that’s often imitated but never duplicated by other countries.”