NZ Wine: Rising Popularity, Why??!!

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they have this headline: “Sheep Give Way to Grapes in New Zealand Wine Boom” with this sub-headline: "vineyards spread as high-quality New Zealand wines gain a following abroad".

Here are some of the story's details and highlights: “A growing taste for more expensive wine in the U.S. and elsewhere is encouraging the world’s biggest winemakers to turn New Zealand’s sheep and dairy farms into vineyards. Among major exporters, wine from New Zealand commands the highest prices of any country after France, according to the International Organization of Vine and Wine. The nation’s cooler climate is more suitable to growing smaller volumes of higher-quality grapes. Exports to the U.S. have nearly tripled in volume since 2009. At a time when American drinkers are willing to spend more per bottle, last year U.S. wine imports from New Zealand overtook Australia to rank the third highest by total value, after No. 1 Italy and runner-up France.”

Interesting story, background, etc.!! We have always enjoyed the wines we have tried from New Zealand, plus loving our visit there in 2014. Since this newspaper has a paywall, not all can access it. Fortunately, I am a web/daily subscriber. Nice reading!! Congrats to the good folks in NZ!

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/sheep-give-way-to-grapes-in-new-zealand-wine-boom-1490693409

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 175,602 views for this posting.

Some good Sauv Blancs coming out of NZ in the Sauv Blanc craze. also some rubbish coming out of there too. Be careful with your selection. Recently on QM2, a NZ Sauv Blanc was US$70 a bottle, plus 15% gratuity of course. Available in my local grog shop @ AU$20 a bottle. I stuck with an Italian Trebbiano @ $ US$28.50, much to the Sommelier's disgust as it was bottom of ye olde QM2 wine list, but was to our palate and the right price.

Higher alcohol percentage by volume.

More Bang for your buck.;p

Don't blame the wine producers in GODZOWN for the action of cruise lines. Sauvignon Blanc retails here in NZ from under $NZ10 a bottle to over $NZ40 a bottle. Is one wine 4 times better than another probably not but the wine producers will charge the highest price they think the market will stand. Back in the day wine A was selling for $10 a bottle and wine B for $30 a bottle. Wine B winemaker was asked is his wine three times as good as wine A. Probably not was his response but the price was set as to how much you wanted to drink Wine B over Wine A. There was also less of Wine B released to the market.

On a recent Solstice cruise NZ Sauvignon Blanc which retails here in NZ at $NZ9.95 a bottle was restricted to the Premium Package. Wholesale purchase price around $NZ6. I could never figure this out, perhaps it was to do with stock levels. I would have been very surprised if there were Classic package wines which were purchased for $NZ6 or $US4 a bottle.

Most wine is good, sure some is better than others but the level of greatness is lost on most drinkers who like what they like and don't like what they don't like regardless of price.

Cruise lines have enough friends, if they can skim the passengers and the passengers are happy for this to happen then expect it to happen

Higher alcohol percentage by volume.

More Bang for your buck.;p

My favourite 'every day quaffer'...Hardys Stamp Sauv Blanc in the 1 litre bottle, around $7 in the booze shops like Dan Murphys, Macs Liquor etc.. Aussie and good as a cheapie NZ sauv blanc.

As Uncle Les says...'The more you drink the more you save.:hearteyes:':eek:

To be fair you shouldn't compare the retail price of a wine with the onboard price. It should be compared with what that wine would sell for in a local restaurant, as then the price includes all the overheads associated with providing a varied wine list and serving it.

Thanks Terry, you really are a great advocate.

To be fair you shouldn't compare the retail price of a wine with the onboard price. It should be compared with what that wine would sell for in a local restaurant, as then the price includes all the overheads associated with providing a varied wine list and serving it.

And of course there weight to carry it around and the volume of cargo space on the ship as well.

My favourite 'every day quaffer'...Hardys Stamp Sauv Blanc in the 1 litre bottle, around $7 in the booze shops like Dan Murphys, Macs Liquor etc.. Aussie and good as a cheapie NZ sauv blanc.

 

As Uncle Les says...'The more you drink the more you save.:hearteyes:':eek:

Liquorland sell the unstamped one for the same price ;) There's two now - a sav blanc and a sav blanc semillon. Have you tried the Cab Sav? It's also a good quaffing wine, but don't tell anyone :halo:

Recently in the news was that we need to check our bottles in NZ as we have sold all our wine overseas and they are importing Aussie wine to fill our bottles for the local market! We checked a few and sure enough "Product imported from Australia Bottled in New Zealand"

The demand is so high we can't even get a bottle for ourselves

To be fair you shouldn't compare the retail price of a wine with the onboard price. It should be compared with what that wine would sell for in a local restaurant, as then the price includes all the overheads associated with providing a varied wine list and serving it.

I am not too concerned about what a wine costs or what they charge out at but one would expect that Premium package wines would be top of the range wines but this is not necessarily the case. I am also aware of instances where a wine on one cruise was Premium and Classic on the B2B. Because of the inconsistancies especially with NZ and Australian wines it generally is not possible to say enequivocably if one wine is or is not on a particular package

To be fair you shouldn't compare the retail price of a wine with the onboard price. It should be compared with what that wine would sell for in a local restaurant, as then the price includes all the overheads associated with providing a varied wine list and serving it.

Yep so true, then add in the cost of storage which is way more on a ship than on land.

Prices do not determine the quality of the wine, just the demand.

My consumption of reds has increased to 1 to 2 bottles a day, I consider myself quite the expert.

Mostly ive forgotten my opinion in the morning, but SORRY, ill still stand by Gossips, as a quaffer.

And this weeks little darling, Grant Burge 2011 cab blend, picking up for $4.99, reduced from $22.00

My consumption of reds has increased to 1 to 2 bottles a day, I consider myself quite the expert.

Mostly ive forgotten my opinion in the morning, but SORRY, ill still stand by Gossips, as a quaffer.

And this weeks little darling, Grant Burge 2011 cab blend, picking up for $4.99, reduced from $22.00

I will grant you that that is not a bad pick up.

My consumption of reds has increased to 1 to 2 bottles a day, I consider myself quite the expert.

Mostly ive forgotten my opinion in the morning, but SORRY, ill still stand by Gossips, as a quaffer.

And this weeks little darling, Grant Burge 2011 cab blend, picking up for $4.99, reduced from $22.00

Secret bottle shop?

Secret bottle shop?

nah Wish, small shop, dictated by sales, reduce, I see, and clean them out. Straight into the wine rack .It sure helps when I'm there everyday, and because I have to shop everyday, so hence forth I take advantage. Independent shop.

We only have 3 in town.

nah Wish, small shop, dictated by sales, reduce, I see, and clean them out. Straight into the wine rack .It sure helps when I'm there everyday, and because I have to shop everyday, so hence forth I take advantage. Independent shop.

We only have 3 in town.

Sounds like they stock a good range. You're lucky. Our small shop charges like the proverbial for everything, not just wine :(

Liquorland sell the unstamped one for the same price ;) There's two now - a sav blanc and a sav blanc semillon. Have you tried the Cab Sav? It's also a good quaffing wine, but don't tell anyone :halo:

You mean Hardys RR range, yes much the same.:halo: Jubbly.

Got 30 bottles of various Wolf Blass Red label delivered today from 1st Choice, free delivery@ $5 per bottle, lubbly jubbly. Keep me going until the end of the week, mrs and mrs, lol.

To be fair you shouldn't compare the retail price of a wine with the onboard price. It should be compared with what that wine would sell for in a local restaurant, as then the price includes all the overheads associated with providing a varied wine list and serving it.

Whaaaat, 500% mark up, over the top.

My consumption of reds has increased to 1 to 2 bottles a day, I consider myself quite the expert.

Mostly ive forgotten my opinion in the morning, but SORRY, ill still stand by Gossips, as a quaffer.

And this weeks little darling, Grant Burge 2011 cab blend, picking up for $4.99, reduced from $22.00

Grant Burge $4.99? Send me a few dozen.:cool:

Yep so true, then add in the cost of storage which is way more on a ship than on land.

Come on Mr Gut, not talking about ye olde Pepsi here.:*

Whaaaat, 500% mark up, over the top.

To be fair you shouldn't compare the retail price of a wine with the onboard price. It should be compared with what that wine would sell for in a local restaurant, as then the price includes all the overheads associated with providing a varied wine list and serving it.

Tried to multi quote to include Uncle Les'comment but couldn't manage it :o

The point is so many of the wines offered onboard are really, really cheap to buy in the local bottle shop. Under $10. They're not considered premium wines in any way, shape or form but once on the ship the fact people recognise their name makes them expensive so suddenly they sell for $30+.

Grant Burge $4.99? Send me a few dozen.:cool:

Yes indeed, but postage will increase the price to oh, $14.99, but if you are part of our frequent drinkers, sorry slosher club, this week on an extraordinary offer of, $3.00 off, $11.99, including postage,

but wait, there's more, let us chuck in 6, yes 6 kick-arse Japenese steel steak knifes that even you can destine to the fishing box, the garden shed, the missus craft basket, in 2 weeks.

Just give us time and we can rip off labels, re-label, re-tap anything.

Just P.M us and its done.

Make sure the Check is in the mail.

Bought to you by Dodgy-brothers .com.

Hang on BBBLLLAAAHHH, theres more order in the next 5 minutes and we will double your rip-off, sorry offer.

Act-NOW.

Makes me feel like cracking a bottle open.