TW Wines with Paul Tietjen and Geordie Witters in Gisborne

This show was published Friday, February 27, 2026

Overview

Gisborne is the easternmost region of New Zealand’s North Island and is famously the first city in the world to see the sunrise. The region enjoys a cool to moderate maritime climate (classified by WSET as cool to moderate), which supports a diverse range of grape varieties.

Chardonnay is the dominant grape variety in Gisborne and the flagship of TW’s production. Sauvignon Blanc is the second most planted variety - easy to grow, reliable in yield, and very much the cash cow for local growers.

There is also growing interest in alternative varieties. Spanish grapes such as Verdelho and Albariño are being planted, while TW also grows Carmenere for reds and Glera for Prosecco-style wines. Geordie has even blended Viognier and Chardonnay, labelling it “CV” to sidestep the pronunciation challenges often associated with Viognier.

The vineyards are dry-farmed, with no irrigation, made possible by the region’s clay and limestone soils, which retain sufficient moisture.

In this episode, we explore TW’s Estate and Reserve Chardonnays and touch on the current state of the wine industry in Gisborne and across New Zealand.

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