By Charlotte Cowan, The Shout New Zealand
New Zealand Winegrowers has released its 2025 Annual Report, which includes an update on the 2025 vintage.
Positives include 2025 marking the 30th anniversary of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, an industry led, independently audited, sustainability certification programme that is a key differentiator for New Zealand wine’s reputation.
That reputation has lifted exports to over $2.10 billion per annum. Success has fuelled investment in 42,000 hectares of vineyards across regional New Zealand, state-of-the-art processing facilities, and strong brands that proudly bear New Zealand on the label. Wine from New Zealand is exported to over 100 countries, with 90% of wine produced here heading to global markets.
But while the industry has many positives, Fabian Yukich, Chair New Zealand Winegrowers, outlines challenges in the report.
“A strong reputation and in-market performance ahead of competitors are real positives on which to build for the future, however, producers are currently navigating their way through a complex and uncertain business environment,” he says.
“Much of the current focus of industry activity is on the immediate challenges confronting growers and wineries. Market and economic developments are compounding industry-specific issues to create a highly uncertain environment.”
Despite imposition of the higher tariffs late in the year, the major market for New Zealand wine remains the USA with exports valued at $762 million, down 3% in the past year. While the increased tariffs have been in place since April with a further increase in August, it is not yet possible to discern the effect of these in the export data.
The strongest growth in the past year has been from emerging export destinations. Shipments to China grew 47% to $56 million, while exports to South Korea lifted 92% to $44 million.
Overall exports to second-tier markets (all those except the UK, USA and Australia, which take over 70% of our exports) grew 17% in the past 12 months to just under $600 million. This reflects strong trade and consumer interest as well as the ability of wineries to develop new markets with improved supply.
According to market researcher IWSR, lighter refreshing styles are outpacing overall wine category performance. This shift is driven by varietals with more refreshing palate profiles, which New Zealand excels in delivering.
Vintage 2025
Favourable weather conditions in the run-up to vintage 2025 delivered a crop that would have significantly exceeded any previous vintage in New Zealand’s history.
Throughout the country, vintage weather was marked by warm, dry days and cool nights – positive conditions for a high-quality harvest. Against the backdrop of an uncertain demand outlook, it was unsurprising that wineries limited their grape intake.
Concluding the Annual Report, Yukich says: “While much has changed since 2020, the fundamentals that have made New Zealand wine successful over the past three decades have not.
“Success in the future will reflect this: we must continue to produce highly distinctive, premium and sustainable wines that are an enduring reflection of New Zealand and its people”.
The New Zealand Winegrowers’ Annual Report can be found here.