New Zealand wines get govt backing for US push
Premium New Zealand wines like Cloudy Bay are set to receive a marketing boost courtesy of the country's government, which is looking towards the US as a way of easing oversupply problems.
Some 58 wines from 21 of New Zealand's top vintners will be promoted as part of a $1.2 million (£553,000) push into the US market, in an effort to help the industry reach its target of £2 billion (£922 million) in exports by 2020.
Additionally, $200,000 (£92,000) will be made available to support Christchurch City Council's hosting of the Great Wine Capitals Network annual meeting this November.
"Wine is one of New Zealand's fastest growing export sectors - only a decade ago the trade [was] worth little more than $100 million (£46 million) a year," said New Zealand's economic development minister Gerry Brownlee.
"Today wine exports are worth more than $1 billion (£460 million) to the economy."
Last month, Cloudy Bay released 1,500 bottles of Riesling 2006 to be sold in the UK for the first time.