All white on the night: surprising Kiwi wine stats

New Zealand wine is an economic powerhouse. 

Kiwi wines are exported to more than 100 countries and wine is New Zealand’s seventh-largest export. 

But the world isn't drinking much Central Otago pinot noir, or Hawke's Bay syrah. 

White wine accounts for approximately 95% of New Zealand’s global wine exports - an astonishing figure. Sauvignon blanc remains the country’s most exported variety, with pinot gris and chardonnay building up steam. 

Half the cash spent by Aussies on sauvignon blanc is on wine from New Zealand. That means Aussies drink more Kiwi savvy blanc than Aussie-produced savvy. 

Wine lovers worldwide are being invited to celebrate New Zealand’s white wines this May, marking three international wine days with a global salute. 

The Pour Yourself a Glass of New Zealand campaign will see tasting and activations around the globe. 

Timed to coincide with International Sauvignon Blanc Day (May 1), International Pinot Gris Day (May 17) and International Chardonnay Day (May 21 ), the campaign aims to shine a light on New Zealand’s signature white wine styles. 

“New Zealand has built a global reputation for producing refreshing, expressive, high‑quality white wines,” says Charlotte Read, general manager brand (what does that even mean?), New Zealand Winegrowers. 

“From sauvignon blanc to pinot gris and chardonnay, these wines reflect both the diversity of our regions and a modern approach to winemaking.”

Wine lovers are encouraged to join the celebration using #pouryourselfaglassofNZ, #greatwhitewinetoast, #whitewineemoji and #nzwine as social media hashtags.

For more info see www.nzwine.com/en/trade/glassofnz

The campaign also builds awareness ahead of Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2027, New Zealand’s flagship international wine event (February 2-4 2027). www.sauvignonnz.com. 

Wine Australia launches new marketing campaign

Wine Australia has launched a new marketing campaign aiming to highlight the versatility of wine styles from around the country.

A barbecue "just because" the sun came out. A lazy night in with your favourite person. A camping trip where the fire crackles and the stories get better as the night goes on.

The campaign is billed as a "fresh new message inviting Australians to see wine differently".

It showcases wines not only as suitable for celebrations and more formal occasions, but as something to share alongside smaller, unscripted moments using the slogan "We make a wine for that."

Australian winemakers use over 100 grape varieties grown in 65 wine regions around the country.

From August 4, people across the country are being invited to take a moment to make a moment, and share their Aussie wine experiences with @_australianwine for the chance to win one of 20 "We make a wine for that" prize packs, valued at $240 each.

A national calendar of Australian wine events is now live at www.wemakeawineforthat.com showcasing wine experiences across the country that wine lovers can get involved in.

All white on the night as New Zealand wines are celebrated

New Zealand makes some iconic wines, including Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and rich Central Otago Pinot Noir.

The Kiwis want Australians to re-visit New Zealand flavours with a Pour Yourself a Glass of New Zealand marketing campaign landing in May.

The focus will be a celebrationof  the country’s finest white wine.

The promo will link with With International Sauvignon Blanc Day on May 2, International Pinot Gris Day on May 17 and International Chardonnay Day on May 22.

 

New Zealand Wine is the group calling on Australian wine lovers to celebrate their neighbours across the ditch.

New Zealand produces world-class white wine varietals from regions including Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Gisborne and North Canterbury. 

White wine makes up a remarkable 95% of New Zealand’s global exports,

Sauvignon Blanc, not surprisingly, represents 89% of NZ’s exports.

Fast-rising prices an issue for British tourism industry

Is it crisis time for the travel industry in Britain?

At a time when rising prices - particularly in London - and aggravating introductions of electronic visas to enter the country risk alienating potential visitors, the national tourism agency, VisitBritain, is this week hosting more than 120 international travel trade members.

The agents - including some from Australia - are on educational visits across the UK as part of the flagship ‘Showcase Britain’ event.

They will have to sell record-high hotel room rates and entice travellers to a destination that has seen some of the biggest menu prices increases in the world over the past 12 months.

A new report by global credit ratings business Morningstar DBRS using data supplied by restaurant.org shows that average prices at major national restaurant chains in the UK increased by an average of 20% between the third quarter of 2023 and the summer of 2024.

And prices are expected to climb higher still in 2025. 

For instance, fish and chips at Manzi's in Soho: beer-battered haddock, mushy peas and pickled onions, already costs over $38 in Aussie dollars.   

Two nights in my favourite London hotel, albeit in toney Knightsbridge, would cost me over $1,000 next week - and that's in the middle of winter - a quick check of booking.com reveals.  

UK Hospitality estimates that its 740 members will need to increase their prices by an additional 8% this year to cover the UK Government’s incoming national insurance increase for employers.

 
This could mean a potential total price hike on restaurant menus of 28% since mid-2023.

So if a two-scoop portion of gelato used to cost £6 ($11.80), it might set you back £7.68 (that's over $15) this year. Heaven forbid if you want a three-course meal. 

"We expect it to be very challenging for restaurants to implement further meaningful price increases without sacrificing considerable volumes,” the report by Morningstar DBRS says.

But Tourism Minister Sir Chris Bryant is confident visitors will ignore high prices and the hassle of online registration before being allowed to enter the country, showcasing a campaign that highlights Britain's many movie and TV locations.

“Thanks to our stunning scenery, heritage and world-class screen industries, many of the unforgettable moments that have taken our breath away at the cinema were filmed in the UK," he said.

“We want more visitors from home and abroad to immerse themselves in British destinations made famous thanks to film and TV, and events like this will help drive growth in our £74 billion tourism industry.

“Through our Plan for Change we want to welcome 50 million international visitors a year by 2030, while creating opportunity in local communities and setting the scene for the UK’s thriving visitor economy for years to come.”

VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said: “With the upcoming launch of our Starring GREAT Britain screen tourism campaign, now is the perfect time to roll out the red carpet and welcome international buyers.

"Building product and destination knowledge broadens travel itineraries so visitors explore more, including through our regional gateways, driving visitor spending into local economies.

“From exploring our vibrant cities, world-class attractions and stunning countryside, to enjoying our exciting contemporary culture and hospitality, international buyers will have a front-row seat experiencing first hand why Britain is the real star of the show. I know that they will return home inspired to sell more British destinations this year.”

Yates believes Britain’s overall appeal will not be affected by a proposed move to hike the price of the new Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) from £10 to a whopping £16.

Speaking to Travel Daily at the Showcase Britain trade event in London, Yates said it was more important that the ETA is easy to obtain rather than its price.

“The most important thing is to get something that’s really light-touch and that people can apply for easily,” said Yates.

Rather foolishly, she deflected concerns that the UK is an expensive destination. And ignored the fact that many cities, including Edinburgh, are planning to impose extra tourism levies on the visitors they are so keen to welcome.

“We have to remember it’s a competitive world, we’re competing for visitors and to be honest, we’re never going to be a cheap destination,” Yates said.

“So what we have to make sure is that our experiences are really first-class and that we give people more than they expect and experiences they can’t have anywhere else in the world.”

I think cheaper European destinations like Portugal and Albania might be waving rather loudly.

Image: Dana Veeder, Scop.io  

Tourism Tasmania targets different demographic

Tourism Tasmania is targetting a new demographic: Tasmanians.

The tourism organisation has launched a new campaign to inspire Tasmanians to make the most of the longer days and enjoy the diverse tourism, hospitality and event experiences available around their home state.

It makes sense. Airfares to and from the mainland over the next few months are eye-wateringly high. And getting a spot on one of the TT Line ferries is like winning the lottery.

The new campaign is a joint initiative between Tourism Tasmania, Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA), Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania (TICT), Events Tasmania and State Growth.

“Tasmanians play an important role in our visitor economy, contributing around $1.9 billion each year, and making up 25% of all visitor nights,” Tourism Tasmania says.

“The campaign’s key message is to encourage Tasmanians to make the most of our longer days by featuring a mix of events, accommodation, hospitality and experiences to drive regional dispersal.”

The campaign showcases a range of tourism and hospitality businesses and events across Tasmania, centred around the themes of ‘eat’, ‘drink’, ‘stay’, and ‘play’ and will be promoted across radio, newspapers and local magazines, out of home billboards, social media and through TV partnerships.

To help promote regional travel and showcase tourism experiences, Tourism Tasmania has partnered with Tasmanian-born Olympic swimming gold medallist Ariarne Titmus, promoting her recent visit to the north, north east and east coast.

The campaign will appear across Tasmania from today until March 2025, coinciding with Tourism Tasmania’s Come Down For Air interstate campaign which is running throughout NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and WA until March 2025.

See www.discovertasmania.com.au/longerdays

Are you guilty of secret racism when it comes to your gourmet shopping?

Are you a gourmet racist when going supermarket shopping?

I plead guilty to this offence. 

I prefer to buy local if I can, but I also choose to buy food from countries that I most enjoy visiting and where I like the people. 

So I will be more likely to buy foodstuffs from France, Thailand, Italy, South Africa and New Zealand than from, say, Israel or China, with their odious politics. The US? Not my first choice. Serbia? Probably not. 

New Zealanders are generally terrific people and I enjoy both visiting their country and enjoying their wine and food.

The Kiwis are back in Australia with another New Zealand Made With Care campaign returning to our shores with 42 brands on board.

The campaign aims to underline Kiwi clean and green credentials and to encourage Australians to sample products they may not have tried before.

New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) is promoting "the country’s values, originating from Māori

culture, that underpin the superlative produce created on the land. 

These values include Kaitiakitanga (protecting and caring for people, place, and planet for future generations), and Manaakitanga (caring for others and showing hospitality, kindness and respect) and ingenuity. 

“We’ve seen enormous success from the NZ Made with Care campaign this year, so making the decision to continue the initiative was an easy one," says NZTE regional director Glen Murphy. 

"We’re excited to welcome new brands on board this campaign and will keep working with our partners to drive awareness and preference for the outstanding and nutritious produce of New Zealand: a place you can trust. 

"It is clear that our Australian consumers feel just as strongly as we do about supporting sustainable food and beverages and nurturing and protecting the world around us.” 

Think wines from brands including Te Mata Estate, Pyramid Valley, Smith & Sheth and Tohu, plus new additions to the campaign including Te Whare Ra, Spy Valley and Forrest Wines.

It is a big stat that 96% of all the vineyard areas in New Zealand are certified sustainable.

Or think Zeffer Cider and Bliss Lager from Garage Project beers, Homegrown Spirulina (which got a huge tick from my wife), Fix & Fogg nut butters, Tom & Luke's treats and Whittaker’s newest oat milk chocolate. 

Check out https://www.discovernew.org.nz/