Just how far has NZ wine sunk?

· Blog
Aug 30th, 2011 | By | Category: Blog

Pinot Noir blended from Australian and New Zealand grapesPinot Gris from Italy and New Zealand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So as if the New zealand wine world couldn’t sink further into the bowels of recession and the loss of premiumisation, there are some wineries that are driving that message home.

Since the wine glut and Global Financial Crisis of 2008, new Zealand has been awash with wine. Wineries have been placed under further financial hardship with the rise in excise tax and coupled with the high exchange rate, thus crippling the export markets.

Some wineries have taken a very pragmatic approach to these events and have forgotten about premiumisation of  New Zealand wine, terroir, and brand New Zealand and sacrificed ethics and blended a wine from, not from different regions, from different countries.

I have struggled to understand the necessity and need to blend foreign wine with wine of New Zealand, especially when we are still faced with overproduction issues.

 

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Written by Jayson Bryant

Jayson Bryant

Jayson’s roots in wine began when his father literally dragged him round France and injected his passion into him. From the age of 8 his family took month long holidays in France travelling through all regions and sampling their wine.
UnScrewed has reinvented the concept of wine tasting in New Zealand and along the way found a new and willing audience. In addition to encouraging straightforward wine tasting, Jayson educates viewers about the effects of regional factors (soil, sun, wind) on wine flavours, and how to buy wine.

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  • Ricky

    Its not the first time they’ve done it.

  • http://twitter.com/MishasVineyard Misha Wilkinson

    Absolutely agree! The Whitecliff website has very little information – certainly no information as to who is behind it. And to be honest why would you want a name associated with a brand that’s blending wine from NZ and Italy! You can’t force the industry to do the right thing – unfortunately. There will always be those who work on the outside edges. And in these desperate times an increasing number of desperate measures are being taken – which includes the appalling discounting (and dumping) of premium wines. I don’t think these folks have any clue about marketing or building a brand. All I can hope for is that in the long run, the brands that are built on solid foundations are the ones that will remain!

  • Anonymous

    Do you think the marketing term premiumisation was realistic? Is there another wine country or even region that does not have a full range of price points, understanding that price and quality are not linear.
     
    Must give credit for labeling laws requiring the disclosure – for those that read labels there is some protection.
     
    Did the wines win any awards? Do the New Zealand wine competitions have a category for global blends – could be a really hot seller.

  • Anonymous

    Do you think the marketing term premiumisation was realistic? Is there another wine country or even region that does not have a full range of price points, understanding that price and quality are not linear.
     
    Must give credit for labeling laws requiring the disclosure – for those that read labels there is some protection.
     
    Did the wines win any awards? Do the New Zealand wine competitions have a category for global blends – could be a really hot seller.