Region by Region- New Zealand: Nelson

I know I know another south island wine region but trust me, just like the others this one doesn't disappoint. It lies just to the west of Marlborough... and therefore has a pretty similar climate... except because the mountains lie to the east of the region they have a bit more shelter from the rain than marlborough does Which is great if you live there, but all this means is that the soil used for planting grapes- in particular Pinot Noir- need to be mostly Clay type. Basically the advantage to clay- especially in a climate that doesn't get much rain- is it retains water much better than other types of soil. And this is perfect for grapes like pinot noir which need to remain ripe and moist otherwise they shrivel up, which gives them a real jammy taste. Which just goes to show how temperamental a grape pinot noir is- but when you get a good one its 100% worth it!

Now, in store anyways, one of our favourite producers from Nelson is Greenhouogh. The great thing about Greenhough wineries is their dedication to producing the best possible wines- now not as extreme as muddy water in waipara, but still pretty dedicated! Just like the other regions I could talk endlessly about the Sauvignon that comes from here- but to be honest it only differs slightly from Marlborough. But what nelson is also great for (especially Greenhough) is richly textured and buttery Chardonnay, and also dense and quite spicy Pinot Noir's.