Altogether Unique

The refreshed visual identity for New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) is now celebrating its first anniversary and the Brand team has received such positive feedback on all the events that have brought our Altogether Unique Brand Story to life at home in New Zealand and in our key export markets. Our New Zealand Wine pavilion at ProWein is a great example of this, and we are looking forward to returning in March this year.

This brand story acts as the foundation cornerstone that our regional and member winery stories can build upon, and it's been so encouraging to observe the alignent of this messaging across our major wine regions. Collectively, we can maximise our impact.

We were so delighted that the designer of our logo was recognised in the prestigious Best Awards late last year. Matt Hammond of Unordinary aimed to incorporate the three pillars of our brand essence - Purity, Innovation, Care - into geometric organic forms reminiscent of tendrils on a grapevine, but rendered in a more bespoke and timeless style. This resulted in a contemporary mark unique to New Zealand, giving New Zealand Wine a more distinct visual presence on the world stage.

Wishing you all the best for 2024 and success in our collective efforts to build and strengthen the premium reputation for New Zealand Wine.

Charlotte Read is NZW General Manager Brand

Tasting Climate Change - Montreal, Quebec

Meagan Littlejohn

The Tasting Climate Change conference was held on 22-23 January in Montreal, Canada. Led by acclaimed author and wine sustainability thought leader Michelle Bouffard, the event attracted more than 500 attendees from around the world, both in person and virtually. New Zealand is revered in the global wine industry for its commitment to sustainability, with the longest running national wine sustainability programme in the world. Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Programme Manager Meagan Littlejohn did a brilliant job sharing the New Zealand wine industry approach to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Education and communication are fundamental to ensuring wine producers understand why and how to make improvements, and that they can succinctly communicate their efforts and sustainability credentials, Meagan says. "Collaboration and knowledge sharing within New Zealand and with our colleagues abroad will be key to becoming a carbon neutral industry by 2050."

tastingclimatechange.com/en

Annual Trade Tastings - London and Dublin

Oz Clarke

The New Zealand London Annual Trade Tasting falls on Waitangi Day 2024, again leading the trade calendar with its early February date. Embracing diversity is a key pillar of the 2024 event, with more than 250 wines from 70 producers represented, covering all New Zealand's grape growing regions, from Northland to Central Otago, with a wide array of varieties and styles.The masterclass hosted by Oz Clarke, presenting Oz Clarke's New Zealand Road Trip (Without James!), is based on the highlights of his trip here in November 2023. Other features include a Self-Pour Regional Highlights table, with 18 wines from 10 wine growing regions and an organic focus table. "The New Zealand Annual Tasting is an important fixture in the trade's calendar at the start of the year," says Chris Stroud, NZW Market Manager for Europe. "As well as many familiar names returning, we are pleased to welcome some new exhibitors for the first time, so it's a great opportunity for trade to discover new wines to add to their portfolios". The 27th year of the New Zealand Wine trade tasting in Dublin is to take place on 7 February at the Westbury Hotel, including a masterclass from well-known wine critic John Wilson, from the Irish Times, on 'Regional Heroes & Pioneerig Wines'. As with London, there is to be a Self-Pour Regional Highlights table, showcasing 12 wines from seven New Zwaland wine regions.