Record Harvest for Giesen Wine

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Harvesting sauvignon blanc grapes at Giesens’ vineyards in the Wairau Valley, Marlborough.

30 April 2007

For immediate release

RECORD HARVEST FOR GIESEN WINE

Giesen Wines, one of New Zealand’s biggest producers of internationally renowned Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, has had a record grape harvest this season.

Despite less than perfect weather conditions around flowering, the final quantity of sauvignon blanc crushed at Giesens’ recently expanded Blenheim winery was a record 4,000 tonnes.

General Manager Jim Veitch says, “Early indications are that quality and fruit flavours from this year’s vintage will be very good and in line with what consumers throughout the world are increasingly appreciating about this unique wine variety.

“We can’t keep up with demand for our Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the Australian market, in particular, is doing very well for us,” says Mr Veitch.

“Our recent investment of $3.5M on expanding and upgrading our winery and tank capacity in Blenheim and establishing a new bottling and packaging plant in Christchurch is already paying off. Planning and resources are in place for the next vintage in April/May 2008 to exceed 5000 tonnes with ready demand for this increase from existing customers,” says Mr Veitch.

In further recent expansion, the family-owned business purchased two more vineyards and will acquire a third new vineyard in October this year, bringing the total vineyard area to 300 hectares – all in the Wairau Valley of Marlborough.

Giesens also report that export sales (now accounting for 95% of total sales) to the major markets of Australia, USA and United Kingdom are still growing rapidly. While the prevailing high level of the New Zealand dollar is impacting on margins in some cases, the future outlook for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at consumer and trade level remains very positive says Mr Veitch.

ENDS

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