NZ: Giesen Wines in NZ$3.5m investment

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 19 December 2006

New Zealand wine producer Giesen Wines has invested NZ$3.5m (US$2.4m) on expanding its Blenheim winery and setting up a bottling plant in Christchurch.

Giesen Wines, New Zealand's sixth-largest wine producer, said the investment would enable it to boost production by two-thirds, or an extra 200,000 cases a year, within three years.

"We can't keep up with demand for our Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the Australian market, in particular, is doing very well for us," said general manager, Jim Veitch.

Giesen Wines is one of the New Zealand's largest independent wine producers. The country's wine industry buoyed by global demand for signature grape Sauvignon Blanc, has witnessed growing foreign investment in recent years.

Multinationals including LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Constellation Brands and Pernod Ricard all own wine interests in New Zealand.

Sectors: Wine

Companies: LVMH, Constellation, Pernod, Ricard