Export statistics
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White wine makes up 93% of New Zealand wine exported
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Sauvignon Blanc makes up 85% of all New Zealand wine exported
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Pinot Gris makes up 4% of all New Zealand wine exported
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Chardonnay makes up 2% of all New Zealand wine exported
Sauvignon Blanc facts
![grapes](/media/13974/sauvignontohu.jpg)
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71% of New Zealand wine production - nationally, over 25,000 hectares of vineyard land are devoted to growing the grape.
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Sauvignon Blanc makes up 85% of all New Zealand wine exported
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Sauvignon Blanc was commercially produced on our shores for the first time in the 1970s.
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It is the country's most widely planted variety, and has established itself as New Zealand's flagship wine the world over.
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Three-quarters of all Sauvignon Blanc is planted in Marlborough (22k+ ha), followed by Hawke's Bay (1k+ ha) and Nelson (0.6k ha).
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It's one of the parent grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon. The other? Cabernet Franc.
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Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent food-pairing wine. Depending on which style you’re pouring, you can roll with everything from Thai food and grilled chicken to salmon and pasta
Chardonnay facts
![close up of person cutting a bunch of chardonnay grapes off a vine](/media/13028/str_3308.jpg)
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6% of New Zealand wine production
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Chardonnay makes up 2% of all New Zealand wine exported
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Chardonnay takes its name from the village of Chardonnay in the Mâcon region of Burgundy
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Chardonnay is the most widely distributed white grape in the world, and is the world's most popular white wine. It's virtually planted in every wine region in the world
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Got bubbles? So does Chardonnay. Chardonnay is one of the three main grapes used in Sparkling wine, along with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
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28,000 tonnes of Chardonnay is produced in New Zealand, and makes up around 6% of New Zealand wine production
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A young or unoaked Chardonnay is fabulous with seafood. Mature New Zealand Chardonnays are richer and more complex and complement savoury dishes such as chicken, veal and rabbit
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Chardonnay shows its best served between 12ºC and 14ºC
Pinot Gris facts
![Bunches of pinot gris grapes in plastic containers.](/media/13966/pinot-griscolombo.jpg)
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5% of New Zealand wine production
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Pinot Gris makes up 4% of all New Zealand wine exported
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Pinot Gris translates to ‘grey pinecone’ – referring to the nature of the bunch of grapes and their greyish-blue skin
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Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are both made from the same grape, the difference is location – Pinot Gris originated in France and Pinot Grigio in Italy
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The Pinot Gris grape is a mutation of Pinot Noir and loses colour during fermentation
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Pinot Gris is an ‘early to market’ wine best consumed within 1 – 4 years
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Like other aromatics, Pinot Gris is best served chilled at around 7ºC
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Adding a touch of Pinot Gris to pastry will make a pie crust or tart more tender and add a hint of sweetness