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Wines of the South Island, NZ Trivia Quiz

New Zealand wines have gained a world wide reputation for vibrancy, balance and clean tasting. This little quiz will test your knowledge of them.

A multiple-choice quiz by voreqe. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
voreqe

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
273,538

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
478

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In New Zealand Danny Schuster won the first ever wine gold medal for Canterbury with which wine? Hint

Canterbury has never received a wine gold medal

1963 St Helena Pinot Noir

1982 St Helena Pinot Noir

2004 Petrie Vineyard Pinot Noir

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which New Zealand South Island winery is the odd one out? Hint

Pegasus Bay

Fiddler's Green

Gibbston Valley

Torlesse

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Question 3 of 10

3. The South Island of New Zealand is an excellent area to grow the difficult pinot noir grape. Why? Hint

timely rainfall

warm winters

no diseases

cold winters

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Question 4 of 10

4. In New Zealand, the grape growing region to the west of Marlborough is known as which region? Hint

Wairarapa

Wellington

Nelson

Waipara

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Question 5 of 10

5. 1998 was generally accepted as being a great year for New Zealand South Island wine.

True

False

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Question 6 of 10

6. I have just had a glass of wine that was oily and full on the palate, had strong legs and tasted of pears. It was a New Zealand South Island classic. Which one? Hint

Merlot

Riesling

Pinot Gris

Gewurztraminer

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Question 7 of 10

7. In the early 2000's New Zealand's Montana Wines established a winery right on the main Christchurch Road, this winery is known as? Hint

Ramshorn

Sheepshorn

Cowshorn

Camshorn

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Question 8 of 10

8. In New Zealand South Island, Waipara's original "Canterbury House" winery has been sold and is now called what? Hint

Brick House

The House of Usher

Outhouse

Mud House

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Question 9 of 10

9. The mountainous area around New Zealand's Lake Wanaka in Central Otago is too cold to produce wine.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. Stewart Island, off the South coast of New Zealand's South Island, has a wine industry similar to Tasmania in Australia?

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In New Zealand Danny Schuster won the first ever wine gold medal for Canterbury with which wine?

Answer: 1982 St Helena Pinot Noir

Danny Schuster is the doyen of wine making in Canterbury. His stunning 1982 pinot noir was not quite replicated by the 1983 - but still excellent. Canterbury has won many golds since then and now that Danny has his own vineyard in the Omihi Hills of North Canterbury, the legend continues.

2. Which New Zealand South Island winery is the odd one out?

Answer: Gibbston Valley

Gibbston Valley is an Otago vineyard and the other three are North Canterbury. Fiddler's Green (the place to go when old sailors die) produces and excellent dry riesling, Torlesse do very well with the aromatics and Pegasus Bay's pinot noirs are very silky and feminine.

3. The South Island of New Zealand is an excellent area to grow the difficult pinot noir grape. Why?

Answer: cold winters

Many believe that the best pinot noir grapes come from vines that get a frost or two in the winter. A cold winter, followed by a gentle spring rain and a hot summer is ideal for this grape.

4. In New Zealand, the grape growing region to the west of Marlborough is known as which region?

Answer: Nelson

Nelson has arguably the best summer in New Zealand and produces some excellent wines. Wellington and Wairarapa are in the North Island and Waipara is south of Marlborough.

5. 1998 was generally accepted as being a great year for New Zealand South Island wine.

Answer: True

This was the El Nino year of drought. The high sunshine levels gave excellent fruit with lots of sugar and good cropping. This allowed the wine makers to experiment with the tannin/fruit/acid/alcohol ratios and some benchmark wines were produced.

6. I have just had a glass of wine that was oily and full on the palate, had strong legs and tasted of pears. It was a New Zealand South Island classic. Which one?

Answer: Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris from the South Island is just stunning and carries a lot of weight in the mouth and so Pinot Gris is very much an "in wine" in Christchurch restaurants. Rieslings are more appley or with kerosene overtones as they age and gewurztraminer are more rose petals and/or ginger. Merlot is a red wine and does not have any such characteristics.

7. In the early 2000's New Zealand's Montana Wines established a winery right on the main Christchurch Road, this winery is known as?

Answer: Camshorn

On the main road (SH1) north from Amberley and producing stunning Pinot Gris and Riesling - all other names are made up.

8. In New Zealand South Island, Waipara's original "Canterbury House" winery has been sold and is now called what?

Answer: Mud House

This Californian designed winery is very innovative with organic pest control and produces excellent wines across the varietals. The very distinctive building is a draw card to visitors and the wines are worth tasting.

9. The mountainous area around New Zealand's Lake Wanaka in Central Otago is too cold to produce wine.

Answer: False

Low cropping vines with cold winters and hot summers make Wanaka an excellent wine growing area. Rippon Vineyard, on the shores of Lake Wanaka, just has to be the most spectacularly located vineyard in the world.

10. Stewart Island, off the South coast of New Zealand's South Island, has a wine industry similar to Tasmania in Australia?

Answer: False

To my knowledge no commercial grapes are grown on Stewart Island but perhaps one day? In the 1980's experts said that Christchurch (Lat 42S) was too cool for grapes and now there is a flourishing industry there. In the 1990's they said the same about Central Otago (Lat 45S) and now this area is the fastest growing region in New Zealand. Stewart Island does get lovely days in the summer, but with the winds and short growing season Stewart Island (Lat 51S) does not seem to be the place to grow grapes - but perhaps with climate change?

Source: Author voreqe

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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