After three years of challenging conditions generated by the pandemic, New Zealand’s wine production is back on track — and then some. The nation’s wine exports surged to record levels in the past 12 months, according to the New Zealand Winegrowers 2023 Annual Report. This year marked the largest-ever one-year growth for the country’s export sales, increasing 23 percent in value to $2.4 billion NZ. The sales value growth outpaced the volume, which increased by 19 percent this year, showing that customers are willing to pay the higher prices that New Zealand wines command.
The unprecedented growth was primarily driven by the open borders, which helped ease labor shortages that producers struggled with during the pandemic. Additionally, the increase in tourism brought more attention to the country’s wine industry and provided a boost to small wineries. The U.S.’s insatiable thirst for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc also pushed the country’s sales to record breaking heights, jumping 25 percent in value to $870 million. New Zealand expects further growth in the U.S. in the year ahead, suggesting that it could become a billion dollar export market for the country.
