Gisborne Wine history
Paddling into Poverty Bay, those on the first Maori migratory waka, Horouta, heard birdsong when they were still far, far out to sea.
The great canoe eventually disembarked at Kaiti Beach in Gisborne. Kiwa, the tohunga of the waka, was the first to set foot on the land. The place was thereafter known to Maori as Turanganui a Kiwa, the standing place of Kiwa.
1769
Hundreds of years later, the first European explorers landed in New Zealand, once again at Kaiti Beach. This time it was Captain Cook and the crew of the Endeavour.
1800's
Missionaries thought they had arrived in Hawke's Bay and started planting their grapes. It took a little time for their mistake to be realised, but by then a fledgling wine industry was born.
Early 1900's
German winemaker Friedrich Wohnseidler was another history-making visionary. Grapes were planted in the Gisborne area as early as 1913-1914 for home wine production, but Wohnsiedler pioneered commercial winemaking in the region. He established vines at Ormond and released his first wine in 1921.
1920's - 1950's
Between 1920 and 1950 three local families dominated the Gisborne wine industry - the Wohnseidler family at Ormond (Ormond Estate Chardonnay from Montana is made from this block), the Chitty family at Hexton, and the Zame family at Mangapapa.
1960's
In the sixties, Gisborne became a powerhouse wine-growing region. By the end of the decade, the Wohnseidler Wine Company was producing 2 million litres of wine per year. With large yields on the higher cropping grapes, the area gained a reputation as a "bulk wine" distributor. Huge plantings were undertaken by landowners cashing in on the market.
The big names at that stage were Wohnseidler, Cooks, Montana and Corbans. Some of the "Cooks Chardonnay" wines that won so many medals were sourced from Gisborne fruit.
The modern era of grape growing in Gisborne began in the late 1960s, when Corbans and Montana started offering contracts to local farmers to grow vines on their behalf.
1970's
The 70's kicked off with Montana and Corbans opening wineries in Gisborne. Meanwhile, the maverick Matawhero Winery was putting Gisborne on the global map with their internationally award-winning Gewurztraminer.
1980's - 1990's
By 1982 Gisborne was the largest vineyard region in the country. A few years later Montana bought out Penfolds, which had opened in 1980, and merged it into the Montana group along with Waiherere - formerly the Wohnseidler Wine Company that started it all.
At the same time, locally owned wineries were established and began to build a new reputation for Gisborne as the home of innovative, quality boutique wines.
Matawhero continued their dream run, winning more awards for their Gisborne Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Millton Vineyard became the very first biodynamic vineyard in the Southern hemisphere and won some major accolades. Parker MC and White Cliffs (today known as Longbush) started production.
The boutique wineries' superb vintages saw them walk off with trophies and gold's at international and local competitions, while the "big three" of Montana, Corbans and Villa Maria produced some excellent smaller volume wines.
Gisborne was now firmly established as a must-visit on the New Zealand wine trail.
Today
Today, Gisborne remains one of New Zealand's most important grape growing regions and is the third largest in the country. Critics, judges and everyday wine lovers continue to be impressed by the quality and variety of wines crafted in the area.
The Gisborne Wine & Food Festival is one of the most successful in New Zealand, while the newly established Gisborne Wine Centre is the focal point for local wine tastings and tours.
