The Vino Vitis blogroll is dedicated to New Zealand winery blogs, so please let me know if you have one. Minor caveat, though – it has to be current. To give you a running start, let’s say at least one entry in the past month.
When I moved from Canada to New Zealand in 2001, I began working as a journalist covering the burgeoning wine industry. Those were heady times – more akin to the wild shenanigans of the Klondike than a charity auction at Hospices de Beaune. The parties, the youthful excess … it’s hard not to shed a fond tear over the memories.
Back then, the world wanted more New Zealand wine than the country could produce, so little wonder that few in the industry spent too much time worrying about their brand. Marketing in those days typically employed the Number 8 wire approach – a national “DIY” ethic that is deeply ingrained in most Kiwis. Wineries created their own logos and labels, and owners were frequently on hand to greet visitors at the cellar door. Given that the wines themselves were often astoundingly good, it’s easy to understand how appealing and authentic New Zealand wines appeared to the rest of the world.
Welcome to Vino Vitis and a fresh discussion about marketing New Zealand wine in the digital age. (Hint: it's all about authenticity.)
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