SoilsKarikari emerged from the ocean at the start of the geological rebirth of New Zealand in the Miocene age some 25 million years ago. The first signs were the eruptions of andesite volcanoes, of which Karikari was one. Gradually this mountainous island joined to the mainland with a build up of sand creating an isthmus, and the new land became colonised by Kauri trees which had been living on the remnants of Gondwanaland for over 200 million years.
 Dense Kauri forest covered the isthmus and Karikari for a considerable period of its history, and together with the volcanic rock, sand and limestone seafloor through which the original volcano burst, laid the foundations of Karikari’s soils. During that period Karikari was rich in moa, kaka, kiwi and weka, all of which were important food sources for the original Maori settlers who arrived just 800 years ago. The soils that developed in this subtropical environment are predominantly heavily leached clays rich in silica, oxygen, aluminium, and potassium. The vineyard soils on the northern slopes of Toupiroroa include Ruakaka sandy peaty loam with high sand content, and deep brown keraphyte clays that have developed from the original volcanic material. All are moderate to poorly drained, with poor  fertility, and in many places are underlaid by an iron rich pan. |
