High autumn rains can be a problem in some areas. Cabernet sauvignon based reds are very important here. Waikato One of the earliest wine-producing areas, but with the southwards drift in viticulture, the area planted in vines has plummeted. Grape yields are lower in the Waikato s clay soils than in the fertile Gisborne plains and although temperatures and sunshine are high, the average rainfall and humidity is a decided handicap. The outlook is bleak for Waikato s viticultural future.
Principal grapes grown include chardonnay, riesling and cabernet sauvignon.
Gisborne Gisborne is the wine industry s bread basket , the primary source of bulk grapes for the cask production lines. Here the climate is roughly between that of Auckland and Hawkes Bay. The autumn rains are a little high. Hawkes Bay One of New Zealand s pioneer winemaking regions, Hawkes Bay has retained its traditional importance. The summers and autumns are generally dry and the soils fertile and free draining.