It yields wine which has a good colour and a soft, fruity palate. It can also be velvety smooth but with power strength and complexity. Pinot noir is also an important ingredient in New Zealand s best sparkling white wines produced in Marlborough. Pinot noir is the third most widely planted grape variety in New Zealand, producing the fourth highest tonnage. Sometimes regarded as 'coarse', a well made pinotage is a soft, medium-bodied, early maturing, peppery wine, less tannic than cabernet sauvignon, with a pleasant berry like flavour and a smooth finish.
Some winemakers see it as the most underrated grape variety in New Zealand.
Few New Zealand winemakers make wines exclusively from this grape, preferring to use it in blends. New Zealand's wine producing regions Northland Winemaking in Northland has undergone rapid expansion in recent years after nearly dying out, although it still rates as the country's smallest region. Overall, this region experiences the warmest ripening conditions, very suitable for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. The vineyards are sited mainly on gentle slopes or flats on a variety of soils ranging from shallow clay to free draining volcanic soils. Auckland Auckland has several of the oldest wineries in the country.