Wine regions: Nelson

Nelson is the South Island’s most northerly wine region, nearly two hours’ drive across high ranges from Marlborough. The rolling hills of Nelson rise from a scenic coastline to form a beautiful setting for the region’s 38 wineries. Sauvignon Blanc has overtaken Chardonnay to become the region’s main grape variety, thanks to world demand for this varietal. Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are second and third respectively with Chardonnay a distant fourth. The varied topography of Nelson makes it difficult to generalize about weather and soils, although records show that the region is slightly cooler and wetter than the Marlborough average.