Natalie Christensen: Sauvignon 2027 Chair on the launch of the festival in February 2027

A new festival is launching for the wine industry. 

Titled ‘Sauvignon 2027’, it will celebrate the innovation and diversity of New Zealand’s most iconic wine.  

It'll be welcoming global industry leaders and trade influencers to Marlborough in February. 

Chair Natalie Christensen told Mike Hosking that although Sauvignon Blanc is a popular wine around the world, there’s still lots to talk about and they want to get that word spread far and wide. 

She says there’s a lot more depth to Sauv that a lot of people don’t know about, things like the subregional stories and different characters you get from different parts of New Zealand, and they want to share that. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Got a new promotional vehicle for our rockstar wine. This
is Serving on twenty twenty seven. It's going to celebrate
the innovation and diversity of our most iconic wine. Global
industry leaders are coming. We've got trade influencers going to
hit Marlborough. This is February of next year. Natalie christianseners
This servnyon Blanc or the Serving on twenty twenty seven.
Chair and as well, there's Natalie morning.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Good morning, Mike, how are you?

Speaker 1 (00:21):
I'm extremely well what brought this about? Because I would
have thought of if something doesn't need promotion because it's
already so successful, it would be serving you on Blanc.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well, we love celebrating it. And yes, obviously a very
popular global wine that there's lots to talk about, and
we want to get that word spread far and.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
White and do when you say there's lots to talk about,
what is there to talk about? It's good, it's crisp,
it's available worldwide, it's an award winning global rock star.
What else can you tell me?

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well, I think there's a lot more depth to Sauvignon
that a lot of people don't know about. So yeah,
we want to really share, like the subregional story and
the different characters of SOVNN that you can get from
different parts of New Zealand. And we'll be yeah bringing
over tea trade and influencers to really sort of talk
about their perceptions out in the world.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
When you say the influencers, these are TikTok seventeen year
olds or are these proper wine aficionados.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Well, actually we're going to engage in a mix of both.
So we would definitely have traditional wine media out, but
we also want to engage in the in the younger generation.
So I don't know if you guys follow man can
cut to New Zealand. So he is currently up for

(01:40):
New Zealan Creator of the Year. But people like that
we're talking to too, So people who have got global reach,
you know, talking to different audiences because we just don't
want global media. We just don't want to be sort
of in a talking in a little shoe box like
we want to talk to the world. So yeah, we
want to engage in all sorts of all sorts of media.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
Where are we are We at the point where we're
looking to take talk to the wine drinker and go
don't forget New Zealand because part of The issue is globally,
alcohol sales are down, aren't they at least some of
the world has moved on in a way. Are no
longer drinkers.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Yes, that's correct, but I'm saying that so last year
New Zealand wine exports were actually up by five percent,
So we seem to be in a lucky position, especially
with savinon blanc, because globally wine is down consumption, but
when people are drinking, they are drinking crisper bright whites.
So that's for now we're in a good position, but

(02:37):
we want to maintain that.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
Well, what that's about is quality. Of course, people there
will always be a market, Natalie for quality, won't Their
quantity is one thing, but quality. You cannot be quality,
can you.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
That's true, very very very true.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
Yes, which is what And also I would argue, correct
me if I'm wrong, but I would argue if you're
talking about just pure dollars for a glass of wine,
there'd be no other grape. I'm just trying to think
there'll be no the greape that's bang for buck as
good as serving onka is there. I mean, you pay
way more for a good glass of red versus a
serving you on.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
That's totally true. So Servanon Blanc definitely delivers above above
it or punches above its weight. It's a variety that's
so expressive and is incredibly good value for money. And
saying that, yeah, I think there is room for some
sort of higher price points, like we're Servanyon Blanc is

(03:28):
really sort of selling well as in sort of the
higher tiers. There's definitely growth in that kind of higher
price point tier. So wines that have got a story
of TAUA, so single site locations, some may have some
alternative wine making methods, so a little bit of barrel ferment,
So there's definitely movement in that top space and that
sort of high price point bracket too.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
Super exciting. Natalie go Well in February appreciate it very much.
So that's serving on twenty twenty seven in Marlborough and
when they talk it, they're also I'm glad they're including
places like Hawksby because the hawks Bay is serving on
the of course, so if you have drunk it is
completely different from a Marlborough serving on Blancs, So that
towar is an interesting story. For more from the Mic
Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks at b from

(04:11):
six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio