A Saint Clair Passage To India

MEDIA RELEASE
FEBRUARY 2007

A Saint Clair Passage To India

Award-Winning Wines Introduced to Indian Market

Family-owned winery, Saint Clair Estate Wines, is sharing its passion of wine with an emerging wine drinking nation, India.

Although Saint Clair already imports to over forty markets around the globe, its newest market, India, is exciting because the nation is just beginning to discover the full varieties of wines available.

The Indian wine industry is growing at an exponential rate. Last year Indian wine drinkers consumed 635,000 cases of wine, and approximately 20 per cent of this total is imported wine. These figures are expected to grow by 30 per cent annually over the next ten years. By 2010 the estimated consumption will be 1.8 million cases and 10 million cases by 2015!

This expected increase is being fuelled by a number of factors, including the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry (because almost all imported wine is consumed in hotels and independent restaurants) and because the younger generation is being introduced to wine, who look set to create wine drinking habits.

Neal Ibbotson, owner of Saint Clair Estate Wines comments, “Traditionally, Indian’s have been spirit drinkers, so it is exciting for us to be able to be part of the industry introducing wine to a nation who are just discovering it. We hope they love it as much as our other export markets do!”

Saint Clair’s first order from Indian distributors was one of its most awarded wines, Saint Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Banc 2006.

Liquor advertisements are banned in India, so distribution through respected hotels or good outlets, and word of mouth are vital to a brand’s success. Consequently Saint Clair has been in discussion with several five star hotels in India.

“We’re delighted that the trade commissioner of New Zealand in India, who after a wine tasting, enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc 2006 so much, that he has said he will promote Saint Clair in India along with the help of the New Zealand embassy,” says Ibbotson.

Saint Clair is leaving no vine unturned as it successfully takes its award-winning wine to new markets around the globe.

ENDS.

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