Pricey Contest

A New Zealand sauvignon blanc was the biggest selling wine in Australia last year, with three out of the five top selling wines coming from this country. New Zealand Winegrowers data shows the country’s exports to Australia have more than quadrupled in the past five years from AUD$46.3 million in 2004 to AUD$222.31 million last financial year. So why are Australians choosing New Zealand whites over the home grown product? Part of the reason is price. New Zealand sauvignon blancs are noticeably cheaper at the bottle shop. The President of the Wine Industry Association of Western Australia John Griffiths said the visibility of New Zealand sauvignon blanc in the retail market has contributed to its success. “What New Zealand did across Australia, and around the world a little bit, was show how much people like fresh, crisp, aromatic lighter styles of wine and this is the new direction of wine,” he said. “I think the New Zealanders did a good job of highlighting that demand.”