Sustainability in a Glass
The New Zealand Wine Festivals, which aim to provide an enjoyable experience for all guests, are back this year. These sought after events in Seoul and Busan aim to leverage the rapid growth and popularity of a wide range of New Zealand’s top wines from the country’s globally celebrated wine regions.
“New Zealand is well-known for its beautiful landscapes, friendly people and its remarkable wines,” said Dawn Bennet, New Zealand’s Ambassador to South Korea. “I look forward to sharing our exceptional vintages with our guests at these fun and friendly wine festivals.”
Orchestrating popular wine festivals since 2009, The New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Korea, or “The Kiwi Chamber,” will again offer guests an array of premium New Zealand wines, this time from over 25 wineries.
The Seoul festival, featuring “sunshine by the pool,” will take place on Saturday, May 20 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul’s scenic waterfall garden and pool. The Busan event, showcasing “sunset by the beach,” will occur at the stunning Signiel Hotel in Haeundae on Saturday, June 10. The Seoul and Busan festivities will run from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., respectively.
“Wine Intelligence has named South Korea as the second-most attractive wine market globally for the second year in a row, and the country boasts a sizable market opportunity with rising consumer interest,” said Dr. Tony Garrett, Chairman of The Kiwi Chamber. “With this year’s theme of ‘Sustainability in a Glass,’ wine enthusiasts will be able to experience an impressive selection of Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs and Central Otago Pinot Noirs, among others, which are certified as sustainable through the world-leading Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand programme.”
New Zealand is the seventh-largest exporter of wine to South Korea with wine exports remaining strong and steady in 2022, reaching USD 15.5 million. South Korea’s total wine imports have more than doubled in the last five years. Red wine remains the most popular category, while white wine – driven by New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - continues to gain momentum.
In 2022, New Zealand saw record-breaking trade figures with Korea with total goods and services hitting NZD 7.18 billion – a 50% increase on the previous year. The last quarter of 2022 saw dairy, at NZD 271.46 million, take over as New Zealand’s number one export to Korea, followed by wood, aluminium and fruit exports.
“Our partnership with South Korea is thriving. Robust trade relations between our countries have fostered an environment for exporters to succeed as we move past the COVID pandemic era,” commented Ambassador Bennet. “During my time here, I aim to expand on this success and strengthen the Kiwi-Korean partnership even further.”
Both festival venues will offer top-notch Kiwi-themed culinary experiences coupled with five-star service, including a casual outdoor BBQ-style buffet in Seoul and a gourmet buffet in Busan. Each will feature artisanal New Zealand cheeses and charcuterie with fresh fruits and desserts carefully selected to complement the wines.
The events will feature DJs providing music and lucky draws for valuable prizes including hotel packages, gift sets and airline tickets to select destinations.
Tickets for the individual events are KRW 150,000 for Kiwi Chamber members, KRW 170,000 for non-members and KRW 180,000 for at-the-door purchases. Group discounts are also available for KRW 150,000 per ticket for groups of eight or larger.
