Effervescent Bargains

New Zealand sparkling wines Cloudy Bay Pelorus and Lindauer were top sellers over the Christmas period in the UK according to the chief executive of Britain’s biggest wine warehouse chain Majestic Wine – Steve Lewis. New Zealand wine sales over the ten-week period had risen by 29 per cent, helped by strong demand for sauvignon blanc in the £5 to £7 range. New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan said New Zealand wines were continuing to trade strongly in Britain despite the recession. “That is part of the market that is very much focused on quality wine and where we can be profitable, given our costs of production and the long distance to the market,” Gregan said.