Hawkes Bay
Hawke's Bay is one of New Zealand's best and oldest wine regions. It is situated on the east coast of New Zealand's north island around the town of Napier.It is a difficult region about which to generalise, as it is made up of a truly eclectic group of soil patterns and mesoclimates, which in turn has attracted an equally eclectic group of winemakers. The region frequently records the country's highest level of sunshine hours and terrain varies from fertile, alluvial plains through to altitudinous, coastal ranges.Chardonnay and Merlot are the most planted varieties, but every variety has potential here - benefitting from the wide range of terroir available, long sunshine hours and the individuality of the wine-producing community.