A summary of the Terroir of the Waipara Valley prepared by Diane Holding.
The Waipara Valley is snuggled in the lee of the Teviotdale hills that provide protection from cool easterly winds but open to warming north west winds. The valley has three general sites, valley floor, hill slopes or river terraces. The soil types include; gravely deposits on flats and terraces in the central and west of the valley, limestone derived clays on hillsides and valley floor to the eastern side and gravely loams over alluvial subsoil in the southern part of the region. The north facing moderately sloping terrain provides an ideal sun trap for fruiting vines. This gives each vineyard unique characters that contribute to a range of wine styles that demand a visit to each winery to fully appreciate Waipara.
The “Terroir” combined with the long hot autumn period helps produce unique richer, spicier pinot noirs and rieslings – regional specialties.
