KEY POINTS:
There's nothing like a new year to make us reflect on our motivations and behaviour. While most people's thoughts on their wine consumption at this time will likely be on resolving to drink less (but hopefully better!) in 2009, I'd guess few, if any, will be reflecting on how they go about choosing the wines they drink and the influences surrounding this.
At the dawn of a year that could be one of our wine industry's most challenging, this is something that must have been on Matua's mind when commissioning its Tastes of the Nation report. In this survey, 2000 regular wine drinkers were quizzed on their tastes and buying habits to build up profiles of different Kiwi wine consumers.
Preferences and perceptions of wine differ between regions, the report discovered. For example, wine drinkers in the lower South Island regard it more as a social lubricant than something to be appreciated in itself and have fewer qualms about quaffing cask wine.
We also appear to have quite a parochial palate, favouring local wines over ones from further afield. For example, those living in regions around Central Otago were found to favour pinot noir, while Marlborough's wine drinkers are sipping on more sauvignon blanc.
Colour is the first thing considered when choosing a wine according to the survey, followed by grape variety. The shopper's budget is the next most important secret factor, followed by the lure of a trusted brand.
Sadly, asking advice is the last thing most people think of when out wine shopping, perhaps no surprise when almost 90 per cent of those questioned sourced most of their wines from the unassisted aisles of the supermarket.
Those who feel less comfortable about choosing wine were ironically the least likely to ask for assistance, more often opting for something tried and tested instead. A fear of looking stupid may be the thing that's inhibiting buyers here, while it could be guessed more knowledgeable wine drinkers realise with wine being such a vast and complex category there's certainly no shame in asking for guidance.
While we wine writers would like to think the world's in love with wine as much as we are, the truth uncovered by this study showed that a third of wine drinkers weren't "that fussed about the wine itself". For these, who are the core supermarket wine shoppers, colour and price drive their choices.
At 20 per cent, confident wine buyers account for the smallest proportion of wine drinkers. These are the folk who think about the characteristics of a wine when making their decisions and have a definite idea of when and how each wine they buy will be drunk.
By far the biggest group is the middle ground, who take a casual approach to wine buying, as well as showing more consideration at other times, such as when purchasing wine for special occasions.
With the 2009 harvest just a few months away and many tanks full of wine from last year's bumper harvest still unsold, competition is mounting within the wine industry. Now, more than ever, wine companies need to know their consumers to make sure it's their brand being bought rather than someone else's.
New wines for a new year
Last year more than 42 new wineries opened in New Zealand and 80,000 tonnes more grapes were harvested. Here are my picks from some new players.
New region
Mt Beautiful North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2007 $32.95
A new wine from the new wine-growing region of the Cheviot Hills in North Canterbury. Situated between Waipara and Marlborough, if the inaugural releases from Mt Beautiful are anything to go by, this may well prove a region to watch. Light and tangy, its first pinot noir layers earthy notes with bramble and cherry fruit over nuances of milk chocolate and spice.
(From Point Wines, Herne Bay Wine Cellars, Wine Vault, Wine & More, Millar & Co, Fine Wine Delivery Company, Gladstone Wines, Kumeu Cellars, Liquorland Newmarket, Super Liquor Waimauku.)
New winer
Yealands Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $18.95
Last year Marlborough millionaire farmer Peter Yealands threw open the doors of his new $45 million Awatere valley winery. Its first sauvignon is a zesty combination of oregano and nettle, blackcurrant leaf and citrus.
(From New World, Foodtown, Woolworths, Liquorland, Super Liquor, Glengarry.)
New label
Dolbel Estate Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2007 $22
While Dolbel has been growing grapes in Hawkes Bay since 1990, it only recently decided to release wines under its own label. Specialising in white wine, this, one of its first two chardonnays, is an attractive unoaked example with pure peach and gala melon fruit backed by fresh citrus.
(From The Wine Vault, Cooks Beach Liquor Store.)
