NEW ZEALAND WINE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 103, 22 July 1927, Page 12 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND WINE

DISPLAY BY CORBANS DEVELOPING INDUSTRY When New Zealand can produce wine equal to overseas wine on the market, and far more reasonable in price, there is little or no excuse for not buying it. The wine manufactured and bottled by Corbans at their Mount Lebanon Vineyards, Henderson, fully supports this view. They have an excellent display at the Winter Show, and in addition exhibit testimonials to show awards that have been granted them, and also indicate that their wines have been supplied to the Auckland and other hospitals for the past 14 years. A multitude of certificates bear striking testimony to the purity and excellent qualities of these local wines, but any prospective buyer has only to sample them to discover that all those who have praised them have not been guilty of over-estimating their qualities. VINEYARDS AT HENDERSON The Mount Lebanon Vineyards, at Henderson, were planted over 25 years ago by Mr. A. A. Corban, who was born and lived in the tradition of famous vineyards. The land on which he began there was typical poor gumland, but he was vividly impressed by the potentialities of New Zealand for the industry, and his convictions have been strengthened by the results of his labours.

NEW ZEALAND OFFICIAL RECOGNITION I The striving for excellence, and the results that followed early caught the eye of Signor Bragato, New Zealand’s first and distinguished viticultural expert, who described the establishment as “the model vineyard of New Zealand, and an object to winegrowers.” The vineyard is still the most extensive in the Dominion under private enterprise, covering 15 acres, with annual extensions made possible by the existence of a vine nursery. OVERSEAS WINE COMPARED New Zealand is a country eminently suitable for the production of wholesome light natural wines, and, in fact, has advantages that other lands may well envy. Nearly 20 years ago the Government expert reported, after a series of analyses, that “the New Zealand wines correspond very closely in chemical composition to the best wines in Europe.” And in his book, “Viticulture in New Zealand,” specially written for the Government, he emphatically stated: “I have also compared minutely the wines produced here with some of the most famous wines of Italy. This has been done to meet the frequently urged objection that the climate of New Zealand is unfavourable to the production of good wine, and to convince hesitating planters that the North Island of this country is well suited to the production of high-class light wines.” AWARDS EARNED At Corban’s vineyards at Henderson one is struck with the fact that from ) the experimental nurseries to the most