Babich Wines (CWSA Best Value 2012 Gold Medal Winner) general manager David Babich said the company’s total premium production was spoken for this year because of the growing Chinese market. “That’s not something we’ve had from year to year.” His comments come as new figures show Cabernet Merlot exports to China passed the one million litre mark for the first time in 2012, a 50% increase on the previous year. Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District chairman Tony Bish said China was expected to overtake Britain as New Zealand’s biggest market for cabernet merlot in 2013, and by 2014 one in every two bottles of the style was likely to be going to China. Babich said three years ago China was his company’s 20th largest export market but was now its third largest. “A fire has been lit under China with regard to supply of New Zealand wine. The Chinese like to buy quality.”
