NZ Wine Forum 2026: India FTA and South Korea Insights
New Zealand Wine 2026 offered wine business insights, along with the chance for connection and collective celebration.
It’s been gratifying to see this event, now in its fourth year, continue to grow, with resounding feedback that ‘this is our best yet’.
While there was no sugar coating the challenges facing our industry, there was also a strong sense that New Zealand wine has the capability, creativity and collaborative spirit to adapt and thrive. Across every session, we heard a consistent message: success won’t come from waiting for markets to return to how they once were. It will come from understanding changing consumers, embracing innovation, investing in the right opportunities and continuing to work together as an industry.
Opening the Forum, New Zealand Winegrowers’ new Chief Executive Anishka Jelicich reflected on the opportunities ahead for New Zealand wine, while Hon Todd McClay reinforced the importance of trade, market access and maintaining New Zealand’s position as a premium global exporter.
Our first international speaker, Erin Kirschenmann from the United States’ Wine Business Monthly, challenged us to rethink assumptions about future wine drinkers and the occasions in which wine competes for attention. Also from the US, wine industry artificial intelligence expert Justin Noland demonstrated how AI is quickly becoming a practical tool that can help wine businesses work smarter, improve productivity and make better use of limited resources.
The programme then looked at growth opportunities beyond our traditional markets. You Jin Lee, from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise South Korea, shared insights into that market, emphasising that New Zealand wine has strong credentials, but significant opportunities still exist to build awareness and trial. In the year of signing a Free Trade Agreement with India, the session with India’s only Master of Wine, Sonal C Holland, was hotly anticipated. Her presentation highlighted both the scale of the opportunity and the patience, commitment and local understanding required to succeed.
There was also a focus on wine tourism, including how it creates direct consumer relationships, builds trust and strengthens brand loyalty. Read more about that on page 19. Audiences also heard from Tim Lightbourne and Rachael Everitt of Invivo, who shared an honest account of how staying relentlessly focused on consumers, embracing innovative partnerships and moving quickly on opportunities has helped build their brand. Our member speakers’ willingness to openly share lessons learned reflects one of the New Zealand wine industry’s greatest strengths. If you’d like to contribute to next year’s Wine Business Forum programme, we’d love to hear from you.
Amplifying Our Diverse Wine Story
NZW is excited about the role we play in ensuring Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2027 delivers optimal value, through the selection of some of the most influential voices in the global wine community. The international programme has been carefully curated to bring together a diverse mix of wine journalists, sommeliers, educators, content creators, lifestyle media and trade specialists from key export markets including the US, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China and across Asia. Selection is based not only on audience reach, but also on credibility, influence and the ability to tell compelling stories about New Zealand wine to trade and consumer audiences.
While traditional wine media and sommeliers remain critically important for their expertise and authority, the programme also reflects the growing influence of digital creators and lifestyle media in shaping how consumers discover, engage with and purchase wine. As these wine minds come together for a shared experience, New Zealand wine stories will be amplified with audiences around the world.
Before and after SBNZ27, guests will split into smaller groups for tailored regional itineraries, providing opportunities to experience the country’s wine regions, landscapes and people. Keep an eye on the ‘Who’s Coming’ tab on sauvignonnz.com in the coming months.
New Data for Members
The forum provided an opportunity to announce a new data-sharing partnership between NZW and NZTE in North America. The initiative will provide members with enhanced access to US market intelligence, including quarterly reporting and expert analysis to help inform business decisions and identify market opportunities. A member webinar will be held on 4 November to share the first read of this data, and will incorporate the 2026 US market IWSR Brand Health Tracking.
nzwine.com/members/brand/webinars/
Sommit 2027 - Waitaki Valley
Planning is well underway for Sommit 2027, with more than half our international sommeliers now confirmed for the event in Waitaki Valley before SBNZ27. Hosted by Cameron Douglas MS and Stephen Wong MW, Sommit is NZW’s flagship on-premise programme, immersing influential wine professionals in the regions, varieties, styles, landscapes and environments that make New Zealand wine so distinctive. Sommit provides valuable, candid feedback from sommeliers working at the forefront of global hospitality, offering insight into how New Zealand wine is understood, presented and positioned internationally.
