KEY POINTS:
Kiwi wine exporters could capture a greater portion of the fast-growing American market by making more of regional variation in their marketing instead of just focusing on Brand New Zealand, says a top US wine guru.
Disney World manager of wine sales and standards John Blazon, one of only two master sommeliers in the US, said New Zealand's young industry had a "very respectable" position in a "very competitive US market", but the country was primarily seen as a brand at the moment.
"There is a lot of room for growth and opportunity to make more noise in the market," said Blazon, ahead of an address to a Wellington wine exporters' forum organised by NZ Winegrowers.
After touring areas such as Otago and Martinborough, Blazon, who chooses the wines for 55 restaurants at Disney resorts throughout the US, said he was impressed by the regional variation he had been exposed to.
"You should continue to focus on quality and expand regional characteristics when possible."
He was taken by the quality of Martinborough wines and would keep his fingers crossed the region could produce enough for the US. "We'll take all we can get."
And the fact that New Zealand was able to deliver such quality from very young vines was "simple amazing".
Blazon presented the results of a survey of 32 top US restaurateurs on attitudes to New Zealand wines, which found that up to 60 per cent would pick New Zealand sauvignon blancs if they had to serve just one line of that varietal.
However, he said few would know the difference between a Martin-borough and a Marlborough sau-vignon blanc.
New Zealand wine exports to the US have grown rapidly in the past decade, from just $4 million in 1997 to $138 million last year. In the 10 months to April this year, the US accounted for $145 million out of total New Zealand wine exports of $600 million.
Statistics suggested the US would lead the world in wine consumption by next year, Blazon said.
"We're still a young wine-drinking nation that's taking wine consumption more seriously than ever before, fuelled by our younger folks."
Sauvignon blanc had become the varietal of choice for American 22- to-34-year-olds, and beer consumption was down, he said.
Part of New Zealand's success in the US was that it had not mass-marketed its wine, "keeping thequality and price point commen-surate".
Blazon said New Zealand wine was regarded as an affordable luxury in the US but there were opportunities to trade up into the higher end pinot noirs, especially from areas such as Otago, Martinborough and Marlborough.
"Pinot noir from New Zealand is certainly the most exciting of wines that we're experiencing."
The biggest New Zealand brands in the US were Kim Crawford, Villa Maria and Craggy Range, but Oyster Bay was establishing a name.
