New Zealand is home to one of the world’s most export-oriented wine industries, with almost 90 percent of wine produced in the country distributed across competitive markets worldwide. Pulling the reins of New Zealand’s wine export industry, Marlborough and its
have established the country as a world-class wine producer in the international arena, in turn, allowing other varieties, including Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio to flourish.
Exports: the beating heart of New Zealand’s wine sector
As a heavily export-focused sector, wine places among New Zealand’s top ten export commodities. In 2023, of the approximately 360 million
liters of wine produced in New Zealand, around 315 million were sold in international markets. The leading trade partners for the country’s wine encompass the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. White wine varieties largely dominate exports compared to their red counterparts. Despite New Zealand’s overall wine production contracting by six percent in 2023, attributable to a challenging harvest following Cyclone Gabrielle ruining an estimated 20,000 tons of grapes, the sector hit a new peak
wine export volume over the last decade.
Delegat: setting an international benchmark for premium wines
Domestic wine businesses Delegat and Indevin alongside foreign-owned New Zealand companies Constellation NZ Holdings and Pernod Ricard Winemakers New Zealand produce several branded wines, which are gaining in popularity among wine aficionados globally. These brands include Delegat, Oyster Bay, Barossa Valley Estate, Villa Maria, Kim Crawford, Selaks, Church Road, and Stoneleigh among others. In 2023, over 3.6
million six-bottle cases of wine were sold by Delegat worldwide, with its highest sales volume in North America. In addition, an abundance of smaller wineries and grape growers operate across New Zealand, with the
number of wineries peaking at 744 in 2022.
From vineyard to glass: New Zealand’s key wine-growing areas
Located on New Zealand’s South Island, Marlborough, well-known for its optimal grape growing conditions and international success with Sauvignon Blanc, recorded the highest
wine production volume across the country’s wine-growing regions in 2023. The Hawke’s Bay region is also a significant contributor to New Zealand’s wine-making sector, specializing in the production of Chardonnay. Across the
leading grape varieties crushed for the country’s wine industry, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris were in the top three. Over 378,000 tons of the Sauvignon Blanc variety were utilized for production in New Zealand in 2023, accounting for over 75
percent of all wine grapes crushed that year.
New Zealand’s wine drinking culture
While
New Zealand ranks among the top wine exporters worldwide, in its domestic market, demand remains subdued as several consumers shift away from full-strength alcoholic beverages towards low- and non-alcoholic alternatives. Since 2015,
per-capita consumption of wine has been trending downwards in the country alongside beer due to an ongoing change in drinking habits as well as higher excise rates increasing the cost of alcohol. Nonetheless, when domestic consumers do shop for wine, Sauvignon Blanc is the favored choice, with
supermarkets and traditional liquor stores the main purchase channels.
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