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Editor's note · South Island
Te Koko Is Cloudy Bay Arguing With Itself
Same grape, same valley, every cellar decision reversed
Read →Top 80 of 159 pin-worthy · 2 iconic
Iconic and outstanding houses in South Island.
All wineries in South Island →
The South Island reading
The South Island pivots on a single obsession: how cold ripens white fruit into tension between stone and sea salt.
MarlboroughNelsonCanterburyCentral OtagoWaitaki
Read 4 South Island guides →Visit South Island
Save these houses, build your route through South Island, and navigate when you're there.
Region DNA
The character of South Island
Based on 183 wines with structural data
Style profile
Diverse
Broad range with a recognisable character
South Island
Country avg
FEM score distribution
90+ Elite
80–89 Great
70–79 Good
<70 Other
Based on 64 rated wineries in this region
Flavor territory
Citrus fruitRed fruitTree fruitTropical fruitOak
Most frequent primary flavor groups
Style breakdown
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
New Zealand Pinot Noir
New Zealand Pinot Gris
New Zealand Chardonnay
New Zealand Riesling
New Zealand Rosé
New Zealand Sparkling
New Zealand Red
Wine style frequency · Bar length = relative count
Top grape varieties
Pinot NoirSauvignon BlancChardonnayPinot GrisRieslingMerlotShiraz/SyrahGewürztraminerCabernet SauvignonViognier
Varieties ranked by number of wines · Number = wine count
Most representative winery
The estate whose wines are closest to the regional average — the truest expression of South Island
Wairau Cove
VisitAbout South Island
South Island is a wine region in New Zealand, home to 122 producers tracked on Femente, 3 of them rated 90+ on the critic index. Its vineyards are led by Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, producing New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and New Zealand Pinot Noir wines with notes of Citrus fruit, Red fruit, and Tree fruit. It takes in Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, Central Otago, and Waitaki.
South Island — good to know
- What grape varieties are grown in South Island?
- The most planted varieties in South Island are Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris, based on the wines Femente tracks across the region.
- What wines is South Island known for?
- South Island is known for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand Pinot Noir, and New Zealand Pinot Gris wines and flavors of Citrus fruit, Red fruit, and Tree fruit.
- How many wineries are in South Island?
- Femente tracks 122 producers in South Island, of which 3 are rated 90+ on the critic index.
- Where is South Island?
- South Island is a wine region in New Zealand, taking in Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, and Central Otago.
South Island
The South Island pivots on a single obsession: how cold ripens white fruit into tension between stone and sea salt. Pinot Noir here tastes of earth before fruit, a restraint that rewards patience over power.
Producers in South Island
- Torrent Bay — distinction
- Loveblock — distinction
- Nelson Bay — distinction
- Mount Fishtail — distinction
- Greenstone Point — distinction
- Kahurangi Estate — distinction
- Riwaka River — undiscovered
- Esses — undiscovered
- Wairau Cove — distinction
- Clayfork — undiscovered
- Dusky Sounds — honest
- Tasman Bay — distinction
- River -T Estate — undiscovered
- Gunboat Point — undiscovered
- Wakefield — undiscovered
- Langford — undiscovered
- Hanmer Springs — undiscovered
- Hop Kiln — undiscovered
- Mapua — undiscovered
- Falcon Ridge Estate — honest
- Himmelsfeld — undiscovered
- Partington — undiscovered
- Weka — undiscovered
- Middle-Earth — distinction
- Five Rows ( NZ ) — undiscovered
- Moutere Hills — distinction
- Rimu Grove Winery — honest
- Kina Beach — honest
- Kina Cliffs — undiscovered
- Te Mania — distinction
- St Pauli — undiscovered
- Chalk Bay — undiscovered
- Rabbit Island — honest
- Appleby Lane — undiscovered
- Sunset Valley Vineyard — distinction
- Seifried Estate — distinction
- Classic South — undiscovered
- Brightwater — distinction
- Neudorf Vineyards — distinction
- Mahana — honest
- The Turning Point — undiscovered
- Old House Vineyards — honest
- Flaxmore — undiscovered
- ABEL — distinction
- Lightband — undiscovered
- Sheild — distinction
- Waimea — distinction
- Greenhough — distinction
- Harakeke Farm — undiscovered
- Spencer Hill — distinction
- Richmond Plains — distinction
- Milcrest Estate — distinction
- Aronui — distinction
- Kaimira Estate — distinction
- Blackenbrook — honest
- Mount Arthur — undiscovered
- Twin Islands — distinction
- Lake Chalice — distinction
- No.1 Family Estate — honest
- Tohu — distinction
- Charlotte Sound — undiscovered
- Hunky Dory — distinction
- Giesen — distinction
- River Farm — honest
- The Rocks — honest
- Saint Clair Family Estate — distinction
- Cloudy Bay — distinction
- De Redcliffe — distinction
- Forrest Wines — distinction
- W5 — undiscovered
- Allan Scott — distinction
- Lawson's Dry Hills — distinction
- Dog Point — distinction
- Kerner Estate — honest
- Astrolabe — distinction
- Blicks Lane — distinction
- Clifford Bay — distinction
- Whitehaven — distinction
- Taonga Peak — undiscovered
- Jules Taylor — distinction
- Sandhills — honest
- Fire Road — distinction
- Oyster Bay — distinction
- Blind River — distinction
- Crux — honest
- Nautilus — distinction
- Starborough — distinction
- Ponga — distinction
- Fairhall Downs — distinction
- Grove Mill — distinction
- Music Bay — honest
- Awa-Iti — undiscovered
- Auntsfield — distinction
- Lanark Lane — honest
- 3 Stones — distinction
- The Crossings — distinction
- Two Peaks — honest
- Kono — distinction
- Eradus — distinction
- Fromm Winery — distinction
- Mount Nelson — distinction
- Sentinel Vineyard — honest
- The Darling — distinction
- Isabel — distinction
- Distant Land — distinction
- Queens Bay — honest
- Hans Herzog - Hans Family Estate — distinction
- Jackson Estate — distinction
- Okahu Bay — undiscovered
- Hunter's — distinction
- Shepherd's Ridge — undiscovered
- Tinpot Hut — distinction
- The Ned — distinction
- Kaituna Hills — honest
- Spy Valley — distinction
- Delta — distinction
- Walnut Block — distinction
- Cairnbrae — distinction
- Mud House — distinction
- Chimney Creek — distinction
- Shingle Peak — distinction
- Zeal — distinction
- Catalina Sounds — distinction
- Steve Bird — distinction
- Barker's Marque Wines — distinction
- Marisco Vineyards — distinction
- Firstland — distinction
- Boatshed Bay — distinction
- Salmon Run — honest
- Stanley Estates — distinction
- Cape Campbell — honest
- Kaituna Valley — distinction
- TerraVin — distinction
- Sea Pearl — distinction
- Babydoll — honest
- Gibson Bridge — honest
- Tindall Vineyard — honest
- Bladen — distinction
- Jawbone — distinction
- Runnymede Island — distinction
- Tiki Sound — distinction
- OTU Wines — distinction
- Pounamu — distinction
- Taylor River Vineyard — undiscovered
- Zephyr — distinction
- Small and Small — honest
- Ambrosia — undiscovered
- THE - Terrace Heights Estate — distinction
- Overstone — distinction
- Squealing Pig — distinction
- Kaikoura — undiscovered
- Fairbourne — distinction
- Echo (NZ) — undiscovered
- Two Rivers — distinction
- Te Pā — distinction
- Dashwood — distinction
- Sunday Mountain — distinction
- West Wood — undiscovered
- Clarence River — undiscovered
- Summerhouse — distinction
- Mount Base — undiscovered
- Kia Ora — distinction
- Redcliffe — distinction
- Jibe — honest
- The Post — honest
- Marlborough Estate — distinction
- Pheasant's Tale — undiscovered
- Rongopai — distinction
- Marlborough Sounds — honest
- Marlborough Sun — distinction
- Makara — distinction
- Marlborough Brook — undiscovered
- Arco Bay — honest
- Wharariki — undiscovered
- Turning Heads — honest
- Edwin Fox — honest
- Lance Wood — undiscovered
- Aroha — undiscovered
- Te Waka — undiscovered
- Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative — undiscovered
- Ella's Ridge — distinction
- Boulder Bank — honest
- Novum — distinction
- Eaton — distinction
- Sloop Bay — undiscovered
- Trig Station — undiscovered
- Stanrock — undiscovered
- Hapuku — undiscovered
- Topsail — undiscovered
- No Road In — undiscovered
- Steady Shores — undiscovered
- Doust Vineyards — undiscovered
- Doctors Point — undiscovered
- Paddle Reef — undiscovered
- Greenacres — undiscovered
- Sounds — undiscovered
- Distant Cousins — honest
- Coast Road — undiscovered
- Beachwood — undiscovered
- The Valleys — undiscovered
- Mystic Bay — undiscovered
- Zenith — distinction
- Kirikiri Bay — undiscovered
- Sorrell — honest
- Soderberg — undiscovered
- A Thousand Gods — distinction
- Wakefield Bay — honest
- Southern Wind — distinction
- Cloud No. 9 — distinction
- Hillersden Estate — distinction
- Raorao — undiscovered
- Sheep Creek — honest
- Art Of Wine — honest
- Monro — undiscovered
- Blank Canvas — critic
- Villetta — undiscovered
- Leefield Station — distinction
- Mt. Richmond — honest
- Domaine Australis — distinction
- Mussel Pot — honest
- Stony Bank — honest
- Mount Franklin — honest
- Taonga — distinction
- Starborough Family Estate — honest
- Kotuku — honest
- Colere — honest
- Doubtful Bay — undiscovered
- Tapu — undiscovered
- James Thompson — undiscovered
- Ben Glover — distinction
- Seaside — distinction
- Keewee — undiscovered
- Tuakana — undiscovered
- Bofuta Bay — undiscovered
- Green Valley — distinction
- Deep Down — distinction
- New Harbor — honest
- Wild South — distinction
- Stoneleigh — distinction
- Cloud Cove — undiscovered
- Herringbone Hills — honest
- Tupari — distinction
- Long Boat — distinction
- Triplebank — honest
- Toi Toi — distinction
- Brancott Estate — distinction
- Monkey Bay — distinction
- Aotearoa — honest
- Te Whare Ra — distinction
- Omaka Springs Estates — distinction
- Wither Hills — distinction
- Milford Point — honest
- Greywacke — distinction
- Montana — honest
- The Seeker — distinction
- Ribbonwood — distinction
- Southern Lines — undiscovered
- Clos Henri Vineyard — distinction
- Ra Nui — distinction
- Wairau River — distinction
- Little Beauty — distinction
- Wool — distinction
- Marble Leaf — honest
- Mount Riley — distinction
- Seresin — distinction
- Framingham — critic
- The Better Half — distinction
- Vavasour — distinction
- Okiwi Bay — honest
- Rose Creek — undiscovered
- Drylands — distinction
- South Island — honest
- Manu — distinction
- Walking Bird — honest
- Awatere River — distinction
- Sliding Hill — honest
- Lobster Reef — distinction
- Ballochdale — undiscovered
- Bramsrun — honest
- Crowded House — distinction
- Johanneshof Cellars — distinction
- Waka — honest
- Riverby Estate — distinction
- Churton — distinction
- Savée Sea — honest
- Mussel Bay — distinction
- The Retreat — honest
- Fairfields — undiscovered
- Koura Bay — honest
- Otto's Constant Dream — distinction
- Clos Marguerite — distinction
- Echelon — undiscovered
- Spoonbill Wines — undiscovered
- Rapaura Springs — distinction
- Vinterra — distinction
- Whisper Rock — undiscovered
- Clark Estate — honest
- Lowlands Wines — honest
- Midnight Dash — undiscovered
- West Brook — honest
- Sea Salt — honest
- Insight — distinction
- Pear Tree — honest
- Spring Creek Estate — undiscovered
- Jeffrey's Bay — honest
- Rockpool — undiscovered
- Daniel le Brun — honest
- Maven — honest
- Black Cottage — distinction
- O'Dwyers Creek — honest
- Springbank Estate — undiscovered
- Caythorpe Family Estate — distinction
- Bishop's Leap — honest