New Zealand wine makers have expanded into new untapped markets to offset the challenges of trade barriers and declining consumption.
The majority of New Zealand wine is exported – with the UK and US traditionally very strong markets – but recently, tariffs and extra taxes have brought stiff head winds.
However, in the last 12 months alone, exports to China increased by 47% to $56 million and exports to South Korea jumped by 92% to $44 million.
Mikela Dennison-Burgess from te Pā Wines in Marlborough said Asian cuisine and culture lent itself well to Kiwi wines.
"For them, crisp clean, expressive, aromatic white wine from New Zealand, served chilled, is a perfect lifestyle option."
The family-run business now exported to 26 countries. "Some things that have surprised us in more recent years is the emergence of Asia and South East Asia as some really key export markets. Coming off a small base, we've seen incredible growth," Dennison-Burgess said.
"The company has a really interesting history in that the owner's whakapapa, [Haysley MacDonald's] ancestry goes back 800 years to the earliest Māori arrivals to New Zealand, which is really a special fact about us."
The 2025 harvest was one of the largest in recent years but many growers left grapes on the vine, unsure how much demand there would be.
As with many industries, rising costs were a challenge with ingredients, labour and transport taking a toll on winemakers bottom line. Another challenge, was declining wine consumption in New Zealand and around the world.
Charlotte Read of New Zealand Winegrowers said demographics of wine drinkers have shifted over the last two decades.
"Younger consumers aren't necessarily migrating to wine as their first drink of choice so our challenge as marketers of New Zealand wine is to always continue to keep New Zealand wine relevant."
She said continuing to innovate was one way New Zealand winegrowers would continue to be competitive by "helping our industry be equipped for the future of how people might want to enjoy wine, whether it be in a can, on a picnic rug, at a concert".
Events such as the Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2027 Conference in Marlborough would also be a good opportunity to continue to build a strong brand.
Planning was underway for the event to bring hundreds of influencers and wine experts from around the world to Blenheim in just over a year to celebrate New Zealand's most popular variety.
Conference organiser Natalie Christensen said demand for sauvignon blanc demand is one of the few varietals holding up.
"I think that's because people are drinking lighter wines, moving away from big reds, heavy wines and sauvignon blanc is fresh, it's bright".
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