Climate and Soil
At around the 300 metre elevation level, Central Otago's vineyards are protected by high mountains (up to 3,700 metres) from New Zealand's characteristic maritime climate. They thus enjoy the only true continental climate zone in the country, with the large daily and seasonal temperature extremes typical of such geographies. Rainfall averages around 375-600mm here: summer is hot and relatively dry, and often accompanied by the Nor'wester foehn wind; autumn is short, cool and sunny; and winter is cold, with substantial falls of snow. Heavy frosts are common throughout winter and, indeed, frost can occur at any time between March and November. In the earlier days of experimental planting in the region, many skeptics warned that the conditions would preclude successful commercial wine growing: in fact, these very climatic extremes are what can, given careful husbandry techniques, produce exceptional wines of great distinction and intensity. One of Central Otago's warmest wine growing areas can be found just north of the Lowburn Inlet area.
The climatic contrast between Central Otago and the more humid, warmer wine regions of the North Island can be illustrated by the difference in the timing of the grape harvest. In the more northerly vineyards, picking generally takes place in late February or early March, while in Central Otago the harvest begins in mid to late April — a difference of some six to seven weeks.
The structure of the soil also differs considerably from other wine growing regions of the country, with heavy deposits of rough-edged mica and other metamorphic schists in silt loams. This soil drains easily, and given that most vineyards are positioned on hillside slopes, artificial irrigation is generally essential.
Read more about this topic: Central Otago Wine Region
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