3 Jun 2010 -

Mt Difficulty selected as Wine Ambassador

New Zealand is about to pounce on the finest palates in the United States.  Last night the New Zealand Government announced support for an initiative aiming to break into the best wine lists, the best wine shops and the best private cellars in the States.

A group of 21 wineries have come through a rigorous selection process to become ambassadors for the Super Premium wine push. Chairman of the group, Steve Smith MW, said this is one of the challenging and exhilarating projects in which he has been involved.

"This is extraordinary stuff - we have given ourselves two years to convince the sommeliers, wine buyers, collectors and media that New Zealand makes some of the finest wines in the world and every great wine list in the States should have a selection from New Zealand.  One of themes we have chosen to use is ‘No one said it would be easy’ but then producing great wine is a work of love, art and science and as a group we know our wines can stand proud in any country in the world. The group of wineries represents some of the best wine business brains in the country and we are itching to start work."

There has been two years planning and research behind this project which will launch in September in the States. Mr Smith says he sees this work , which has the support of Trade and Enterprise and New Zealand Winegrowers, being of immense benefit to every wine producer in the country.

"I guess this is a classic case of trickle down....we hope to break the glass ceiling to give everyone access to the upper end of the market. New Zealander wineries have made serious advances in the US market and this builds on the work currently being achieved."

When they launch the project Mr Smith said it will not just be about wine. "To fully appreciate fine wine, you have to understand the back story. We plan to tell the stories of the people and place, the food and the culture. These are all interwoven and make a unique and beguiling story."

The 21 wineries involved are Mt Difficulty Wines, Amisfield, Ata Rangi, Cloudy Bay, Craggy Range, Escarpment, Felton Road, Kumeu River Wines, Muddy Water Wines, Nautilus Estate, Neudorf, Palliser Estate, Pegasus Bay Winery, Quartz Reef, Saint Clair Family, Seresin Estate, Spy Valley Wines, Trinity Hill, Vavasour, Villa Maria Estate and Vinoptima Estate.

Comments from Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee:

"Wine is one of New Zealand's fastest growing export sectors - only a decade ago the trade worth little more than $100 million a year. Today wine exports are worth more than $1 billion to the economy."

Mr Brownlee said the government was committed to working with the industry to help achieve its goal of $2 billion in exports by 2020. He said the industry's future lay in maintaining its premium branding across the globe.

"The industry must increase demand by developing new markets while strengthening its position in existing markets. The US initiative is the first in a package of measures to help the industry build markets and maintain its premium branding.

"In support of that effort I am today announcing $1.2 million backing over the next two years for an initiative aimed at pushing high-end wine into the lucrative but relatively undeveloped United States market.

"The United States is already a significant market for New Zealand wine, but this initiative, which brings together 58 carefully selected wines from 21 of the country's most notable wineries, is an exciting first step in developing a super-premium New Zealand wine category in this important market."

Mr Brownlee said the industry's global strategy was about building and sustaining strong relationships with distributors and key influencers and brand position through proactive and smart marketing.

"The premium wine producers preparing to push deeper into the United States are superb practitioners of this art, which is why the government has the confidence to back them."

Mr Brownlee said the government's support for the wine industry was a true cross-government affair to provide support through better understanding of regulatory and technical access to markets.