New Zealand Winegrowers celebrate the 15th International Sauvignon Blanc Day

Canadians are top consumers drinking 1.3 million cases of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc each year

TORONTO, May 1, 2024 /CNW/ - The 15th annual International Sauvignon Blanc Day takes place this Friday May 3, 2024, and New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW), the national organization representing the grape and wine sector of New Zealand, are showcasing their country's most famous wine. Not only is it the leading wine export (over 85 per cent is attributed to the world-famous style), the country is also known as the Sauvignon Blanc capital of the world.

Sauvignon Blanc is distinctive, fresh and unique, and the world-class New Zealand variety is known for its powerful aromatics that include grapefruit, pineapple and lime zest, freshly mowed grass and bell pepper. It continues to impress wine critics across the globe and since the 1990s, the country has set the international benchmark for style.

In Canada, Sauvignon Blanc is one of the fastest growing categories of wine and the New Zealand varieties are incredibly popular with Canadians drinking an average of 1.3 million cases  each year. In fact, New Zealand wines, overall, are popular in the country with Canada ranked as the number four market for global exports. 

The crisp varietal was first commercially grown in New Zealand in the 1970s and is now the most popular style of wine, accounting for 72 per cent of the country's total wine production.  While the country only produces 1 per cent of the world's wine, it produces 16 per cent of the world's Sauvignon Blanc. The country's cool climate lends well to the grape and while it is grown in all of New Zealand's 10 wine regions, the vast majority (approximately 90 per cent) is grown in Marlborough.

"Sauvignon Blanc is a beautiful, vibrant style and we are so lucky here in Canada to have access to such a wide selection of New Zealand producers that all offer a unique spin on this exciting grape," says Melissa Stunden, NZW Canada Market Manager and Canadian sommelier. "It is lovely on its own but also complements everything from seafood to grilled chicken, salads or even Thai food."

Here are some widely available options to celebrate International Sauvignon Blanc Day:

Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc - Vibrant bouquet of ripe tropical fruits, including passionfruit and pineapple, intertwined with zesty citrus and herbal undertones, culminating in a refreshing, crisp finish that showcases Marlborough's signature style.

Left Field Sauvignon Blanc - Lively expression of grapefruit, lemon, and tropical fruits, balanced by herbaceous notes and a crisp, clean finish, evoking a sense of adventure.

Kim Crawford Illuminate Sauvignon Blanc -  Light in alcohol and full of flavour!  This fresh, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc shows tropical passionfruit and zesty citrus, with hints of freshly cut herbs, leading to a lively, refreshing finish.

New Zealand Wine – Altogether Unique
In 2023 NZW launched its new brand platform New Zealand Wine, Altogether Unique, the result of defining the brand essence of New Zealand Wine and its accompanying new visual identity.  
The refreshed brand encompasses the three pillars of Purity, Innovation, and Care in a way that is fresh, modern, and sophisticated – whilst infusing a sense of New Zealand-ness.

The New Zealand Wine brand platform acts as the foundation on which the special and unique brand stories that the New Zealand wine industry can build off. From these three pillars, the New Zealand Wine Brand Story was developed:

Some places have unblemished sunlight, young soil or beautiful water.
Others have innovation, passion for the craft or care for the land.
But only one place has the purity of it all…
New Zealand Wine. Altogether Unique.

About New Zealand Winegrowers
New Zealand Winegrowers, the world's only unified national wine producing organization, exists to protect and enhance the reputation of New Zealand Wine, whilst supporting its sustainable, diversified value growth.

SOURCE New Zealand Wine

Media Contact: Melissa Stunden, New Zealand Winegrowers, [email protected], 416-725-8097