The final of the Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer takes place at the Winemakers Club on March 4. Click here to find out who all the finalists are.
You have been a supporter of the awards from its beginning – why is it important for you to be part of it?
The Star Wine List Awards enable us to reach leading influencers in the on-trade community and shine a light on the diversity of New Zealand wines. The style and flavour profile of New Zealand wine means that there is a great variety of options in terms of food matching and should be a must have on all serious wine lists.
What are you looking forward to from this year’s event?
The event is a great opportunity to connect with leading sommeliers and show them the diverse range of our wines. Hopefully they will make some new discoveries to add to their lists.
How important is the premium wine sector to New Zealand wine?
Pollen Street Social was the winner of the New Zealand category in the 2023 Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer
Very important. New Zealand wine certainly sits at the premium end of the market in both the on and off-trade, but the wines deliver excellent value for both the consumer who knows the quality that New Zealand wines deliver, and the outlet who can achieve a good return with knowledgeable customers returning.
What do you think are the key attributes of New Zealand wine that work so well on premium wine lists?
Quality – speaks for itself; Consistency – customers know what to expect and won’t be disappointed; Flexibility – in terms of New Zealand wines are very food friendly and can match a variety of cuisines; Value – great quality and consistency at a fair price for what they deliver’ Sustainability – New Zealand is a leader in this field.
What would you recommend restaurants looking to step up their New Zealand wine offer focus their lists on in terms of styles, region and price points?
The UK consumer loves New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. We know this from our continued success in the off-trade. Restaurants should look to capitalise on this and show different styles at different price points. Away from Sauvignon there is so much to discover with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay offering a wide range of regional expressions, while New Zealand also excels at Pinot Gris and Riesling, Syrah and Bordeaux blends and much much more.
What do you see as being the key developments in the premium New Zealand category in the last five years?
New Zealand Winegrowers European manager, Chris Stroud, with Ronan Sayburn MS at the 2023 event
New Zealand sells at a significant price premium to the category and above all is delivering growth well above that of the total still wine category – in both volume and value. We have built and maintained our reputation as a premium quality producer.
How is the 2024 harvest looking like in terms of quality and size?
Vintage is shortly to begin but all reports are that it will be a high quality vintage, although following two large harvests, we expect 2024 to be down on recent years. However, we expect there to be consistency of supply enabling customers to continue to enjoy our wines.
How do you work with the premium UK wine market in order to spread the word and promote what New Zealand can do?
Our job is to continue to raise awareness of the quality and diversity that New Zealand offers. The trade think they know what New Zealand offers, but there is so much more to discover in terms of varieties, regional styles and expressions, and it is about providing those opportunities to educate and showcase that – whether it be through supporting the Star Wine List, holding masterclasses, or our own trade events.
We want to create ambassadors amongst the sommelier community to influence their peers. Therefore, we will be holding a sommelier education later this year where one lucky sommelier can win a trip to the New Zealand Sommit next year.
New Zealand Wine’s Sommit helps bring leading sommeliers around the world to see what New Zealand can offer
This approach works as was proved by last year’s winner of Best New Zealand list at The Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer Awards – Pollen Street Social – who had been able to attend the NZ Sommit and discover the special qualities of New Zealand wine.
You have just held your annual tasting – what were the key takeaways from that for you?
The London annual trade tasting is the main showcase for New Zealand wine in this region. We held a business briefing in advance, which provided an update on the performance of New Zealand wines in this market, showcasing the success and future opportunities. We were pleased with the attendance from all the major multiple buyers and media, which shows how important the category is.
The quality of the wines on show was high and generally there was great interest in the room with a quiet optimism for the continued success of New Zealand wine.
What are your hopes for the New Zealand premium wine category in the coming years in terms of emerging styles, regions?
Wine drinkers often remain unaware of just how many other varieties are being grown throughout the country, adding to the diversity and depth of New Zealand wine. New Zealand has built a solid international reputation for its classic wine styles, which will only get stronger.
However, there are an increasing number of varieties which offer an extra dimension for consumers wanting to explore more of the country’s regions, climates and producers. Varieties like Albarino, Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc, Viognier and others. We look forward to seeing more of these wines in the future.
Fine Wines Direct UK will be part of the online awards ceremony for the first UK Wine List of the Year awards on February 22 at 6om
- The finalist in the New Zealand category at the Star Wine List of The Year UK with The Buyer are:
- HIDE, London
- OXO Tower Restaurant, London
- The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor
- The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
- The awards take place at London’s Winemakers Club on March 4.
- You can find the full list of finalists for the 2023 here.
- You can find out more about Star Wine List here.
