This time last year, we forecast that New Zealand grape growers and wineries were ‘...looking to the future with renewed certainty and confidence’ after three testing years of COVID-generated uncertainty. In this year's report we reflect on how that confidence has been validated in numerous initiatives and developments over the past 12 months.
Highlighting the positive trends, wine exports have surged to new record levels with their largest ever one-year growth. With value growth outpacing volume, it is clear consumers are prepared to pay the higher prices New Zealand wines command. Further, open borders have seen wineries welcome the return of overseas tourists to cellar doors, and producers have benefited from improved availability of seasonal workers.
Tempering this confidence were the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, the ongoing challenges from climate change and significant inflationary pressures over the past 18 months.
