item details
NameBottle, wine (Madeira)
ProductionMinistry of Agriculture and Fisheries; manufacturer(s); 1970s; New Zealand
Classificationwine bottles
Materialsglass, plastic, paper, adhesive, foil
Materials SummaryWine in a glass bottle with a plastic cap with foil covering it and a paper label attached with adhesive
DimensionsOverall: 330mm (height), 262mm (diameter)
Registration NumberGH012113
Credit lineGift of Joyce Megget, 2009
Overview
In 1898, the New Zealand government set aside an area at Te Kauwhata as an agricultural experimental station, with the first experimental wines being made there in 1902. Most of the vineyards in New Zealand have been established from the stock from the Te Kauwhata station, which is still the centre of viticultural research.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries began producing wines after its establishment in 1972. This intact bottle of Madeira wine is a rare survival of one of the Ministry's experiments. This particular example illustrates the Government's active participation in viticulture, and the growing appreciation of New Zealand produced wines in the 1970s.