Central Otago is the southernmost wine region on earth, and the only major New Zealand region with a continental rather than maritime climate — hot, dry summer days and cold nights, in a landscape of dramatic schist-covered hills and mountains. That climate has made it New Zealand's most celebrated source of Pinot Noir, typically riper and more structured than Marlborough's, with a distinct dark-fruited, floral character.

Key grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling