At the Pinot Noir New Zealand 2025 conference held in Christchurch, insightful observations about the global market for New Zealand’s Pinot Noir were shared by David Allen, MW, who serves as the wine director at Wine-Searcher.
Market Trends and Growth
On the third day of the event, Allen captivated his audience with a data-centric presentation that delved into the international landscape for Pinot Noir, highlighting supply and demand dynamics that impact market success.
His research focused on how New Zealand’s Pinot Noir stacks up against its global counterparts.
By leveraging Wine-Searcher’s expansive database—which now boasts around 14.7 million active listings of wines and spirits—Allen drew comparisons between the current market conditions and those observed during the last conference in 2017.
This substantial increase from 6.7 million listings eight years ago results not only from a wider array of products in the marketplace but also from advancements in technology that have bolstered Wine-Searcher’s ability to compile listings.
This impressive figure comprises over 850,000 distinct products sourced from a network of 37,500 merchants and auction houses operating across 130 global markets.
Each month, about five million unique visitors turn to the platform to explore wine options.
Pinot Noir Search Activity
When looking at Pinot Noir’s search activity, the growth is striking.
In 2016, Pinot Noir comprised 10.5 percent of global wine searches, garnering 12.8 million inquiries out of a total of 122 million searches conducted.
Fast forward to 2024, and interest in Pinot Noir jumped to 27.2 million searches within a broader total of 176 million, increasing its market share to 15.5 percent—this growth was particularly evident in the United States.
Allen also pointed out that Pinot Noir listings reflected similar trends.
On December 15, 2016, the count was approximately 500,000 listings among a total of five million wines—accounting for 9.5 percent of all wine offerings.
Fast forward to December 15, 2024, and that number swelled to 1.1 million, boosting Pinot Noir’s share to 11.5 percent out of an expanded total of 10 million offers.
This growth not only signals rising consumer interest but also a strengthening market presence for this beloved grape variety.
In contrast, other wine varieties did not enjoy the same level of growth.
The popularity of Bordeaux blends, for instance, has waned, dropping from 22.3 percent of searches in 2016 to just 17.4 percent in 2024.
Chardonnay, on the other hand, has seen a rise from 6 percent to 10.3 percent, reflecting a shift towards Burgundian varieties amidst Bordeaux’s struggles.
Regional Insights and Opportunities
While interest in Pinot Noir soared globally, regional enthusiasm varied.
In 2024, France took the lead with 22.5 percent of searches, followed closely by Hong Kong at 21.4 percent.
China contributed 20.8 percent, while the UK and New Zealand were at 15.5 percent and 15.3 percent, respectively.
The US and Australia each accounted for 13 percent of the total search numbers.
Shifting focus to New Zealand, Allen analyzed search data and found that Sauvignon Blanc generated the most interest, capturing 35 percent of inquiries, while Pinot Noir closely trailed at 32.4 percent.
Despite a decrease in Sauvignon Blanc’s share from 45 percent in 2016, Pinot Noir experienced a modest uptick, and Chardonnay slightly increased to 12.6 percent.
However, there was a disconnect between interest and actual listings.
The 2024 data highlighted that while Sauvignon Blanc represented 45.1 percent of offers for New Zealand wines, Pinot Noir only made up 20.7 percent, and Chardonnay 9.4 percent.
Examining geographic distribution, significant shifts are apparent since 2016.
The USA previously held 28.4 percent of listings, with New Zealand at 22.4 percent, followed by the UK and Australia.
By 2024, the USA’s dominance increased to 44 percent, while New Zealand’s share grew marginally to 27.7 percent.
Meanwhile, offers from the UK and Australia fell sharply to 6.1 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively.
This decline echoes concerns raised by Stephen Wong MW regarding the limited availability of New Zealand wines on menus in UK restaurants.
Overall, New Zealand’s presence in the wine market has steadily risen since December 15, 2016, when it accounted for 83,000 listings, or 1.6 percent of the global total.
By December 15, 2024, that number had climbed to 175,000 offers, representing 1.8 percent of the overall wine market.
In conclusion, Allen emphasized key findings that reveal the growing appeal of Burgundian varietals, which presents a strong opportunity for New Zealand.
He underscored the potential to penetrate various price segments, especially in markets that prioritize renowned Napa brands.
Throughout the conference, a recurring message resonated: while the market is keen and attentive, New Zealand Pinot Noir must work to amplify its visibility and make the impact it deserves.
Source: Wine-searcher
