Oceania is huge: it’s Australia and New Zealand and 15 other countries too. And a whole world of ‘New Wine’. With consistent climates, vast amounts of space and a passion for the latest winemaking technology, this far off region of wine is proving year on year that it can compete with the Europeans in producing top quality wines. 

Australia 

Australians starting producing wine back in the mid-19th century, but the little was known about it until 30 years ago. Since then, the country has come a long way and grown to be a world producer with a variety of highly regarded reds and whites. Disregarding the traditions and stifling rules of the traditional Old World wine making, Australia’s innovative attitude and techniques are making them famous for producing a range of fruity reliable affordable wines along with some seriously top notch fine wines, which can effortlessly compete at a international level. 

As Australia doesn’t have any indigenous vines they started out with imported vines from Europe but over the years the Australians have developed their own unique style building an industry with an expertise in wine making technology. Australia trains its winemakers to produce wine in the most adverse circumstances. No matter how hot and dry the climate, the temperature controlled, steel vat fermentation process produces the perfect flavourful, clean and fruity that have made Australian wines world famous. 

This incredible technological advance in winemaking was Australia gift to the world.

New Zealand 

New Zealand has become an international player in the wine world only in the last 20 years which is quite a victory for a country with a total population akin to a medium American town. Today New Zealand boasts a few hundreds of wineries, and is a quality producer with most of New Zealand’s wine scene be driven by the export market.

New Zealand is located in a more southern area, being generally cooler; its total wine production is just a fraction of the Australian, but it is growing as we speak. New Zealand is now an international player in the wine arena, counting not only with large producers but with many smaller states and wine boutiques very enthusiastic, willing to experiment and making very good wines.

From the two large islands, the North Island is the warmer and the much better for growing vines for longer. The South Island is cooler, and boasts largest wine growing area: Marlborough. This is a top production zone for Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The region of Central Otago cradles the southernmost vineyards and it has proved one of the world’s greatest regions for Pinot Noir.

Join us for the Ocean’s 6 Taste Event at the Great John Street Hotel in Manchester to learn how to identify the best regions and taste six exquisite examples of this renowned diverse and adventurous region’s wines.