Wine imports to South Korea hit an all-time high in the first half of this year, with a growing number of people enjoying drinking at home due to the prolonged pandemic, data showed Thursday. Imports of red wine were the largest with $180.4 million, while white wine imports came to $49.3 million over the cited period.
Under the New Zealand Korea Free Trade Agreement New Zealand wine can enter Korea tariff free. Increasingly New Zealand wine producers are taking an interest in Korea. That is reflected in New Zealand wine sales which leapt in value from $5.4m to $16.4m in the year to July, much of that growth sparked by a huge rise in demand for sauvignon blanc.
To counter the border closure, eight New Zealand wineries that took part in virtual vineyard tasting tours for Korean wine writers and influencers.
Villa Maria was one of them and Asia Pacific marketing manager Michele Lam says Koreans traditionally favoured red wine, but our white wines are growing in popularity with younger consumers.
France was also the biggest white wine exporter to Korea, shipping $13.4 million in the first six-month period, followed by Italy, the US, New Zealand, Chile and Australia, the data showed.
