New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has come to the aid of Hawke’s Bay’s red wine sector with $50,000 in funding.

Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Inc., the regional wine organisation, is to receive up to $50,000 to contribute to five key projects under NZTE’s Regional Strategy Fund. 

Over the next year, five projects will be investigated and developed.

Lyn Bevin, HBWG executive officer says the wine industry makes a big contribution locally but it could be even more productive. 

One project is an economic impact survey to measure employment multipliers, regional export information, and to examine the wine industry’s contribution to regional GDP. 

Funding will also be used to develop a New Zealand Cabernet Merlot Forum as an annual event. This forum will take place in January 2010 to coincide with a national Syrah Symposium being held in Hawke’s Bay.

A third project is to develop a programme of varietal tastings that give local grape growers and winemakers the opportunity to improve export wine quality, and to gain better knowledge of competing wines on an international level. 

“It will also help our members avoid the development of a ‘cellar palate’ where local winemakers, and anyone else for that matter, can become overly familiar with wines they make and taste often, hindering their ability to appreciate wines from other regions and countries,” says Ms Bevin.

Tthe funding will also be used to develop better market intelligence. 

“There is a wealth of information and research in the international marketplace but it is not always easy to access and can be prohibitively expensive for individual wine companies and growers. Now we have the means to review and assess how we can pass it on to our members for their benefit in understanding consumer purchasing behaviour, international markets, and wine styles within market segments.”

And finally,the funding will help the organisation develop and implement an international strategy.

“For so long Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Inc. has lacked the resources to deliver to an international audience. This funding now allows us to develop international events in support of New Zealand Winegrowers’ generic marketing programme with the aim of increasing wine exports from our region.”