The 2019 New Zealand vintage was the third in a row that the industry produced less than the forecasted sales for the next 12 months.

Another New Year has begun and at least on the weather front appears to have started well with lots of warm, dry weather. Long may that continue!

By now most members should be well aware that the results from the recent Strategic Review have been delivered to New Zealand Winegrowers and are available to growers and wineries.

The New Zealand wine industry is busy planning for the up-coming vintage after taking into account the impact of the recent Kaikoura earthquake.

"Please experiment, please reinvent, please innovate. But please, please, please communicate – talk to your consumer and let them know what you are doing."

1999 ... $0.1 billion of wine exports, 2006 ... $0.5 billion of wine exports, 2010 ... $1.0 billion of wine exports, 2015 ... $1.5 billion of wine exports!

There were a number of subjects that came up when NZW CEO Philip Gregan and I discussed this year's NZ Winegrower Personality of the Year.

The end of the year is fast approaching so some end of year thoughts on a few of the significant developments of the year to wrap things up!

New Zealand Winegrowers welcome the announcement of a proposed Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and the EU.

New Zealand Winegrowers are happy with the historic Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal reached overnight in Atlanta, Georgia.