New Zealand exports have soared - by up to 92% in the case of Australia - with shipments to the US breaking records.

According to New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW), wine exports for the year to February 2005 exceeded 44m litres for the first time, a 55% growth on the previous year.

Exports to Australia went up 92% to 8.1m litres, while overall Pinot Noir exports rose to 2.2m litres, up 57% on the previous 12 months. Exports of Cabernet and Merlot blends also went up, by 43%.

NZW CEO Philip Gregan said exports for the 2004/2005 year would approach 50m litres by June 2005.

‘Our export successes are the culmination of several factors – the record 2004 vintage, increasing international recognition for the quality of our wines, and increased promotional and marketing efforts in key offshore markets.’

Written by Adam Lechmere

Adam Lechmere
Adam Lechmere
Decanter Magazine, Wine Editor & Writer

Adam Lechmere is consultant editor of Club Oenologique among other things.

Formerly launch editor of Decanter.com, which he edited until 2011, he has been writing about wine for 20 years, contributing to Decanter, World of Fine Wine, Meininger’s, the Guardian and many others. Before joining the wine world he worked for the BBC, and as a music and film gossip journalist.