Morrisons switches supply to South Africa & Chile to make up for New Zealand wine shortages

 Major UK retailers are going to have to get consumers to switch away from New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to other styles of wine as the shortage of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc in particular continues to disrupt sales and drinking behaviour.

That’s the warning of Mark Jarman, head of wine sourcing for Morrisons, one of the Big Four UK supermarket chains.

He told Drinks Business this week that the issue of reduced stocks of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was not “going away any time soon”. He said: “Clearly New Zealand is limited in terms of planting, and there is still high global demand for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, so we as an industry feel that it is very much on our shoulders to encourage consumers to look outside New Zealand.”

New Zealand’s loss could be South Africa and Chile’s gain as both offer similar styles of wine at price points and volumes that would be attractive to major retailers.

To help cope with the New Zealand shortage Morrisons is extending its 64 Edge brand, which up to now had been sourced from New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and make it an international brand where the Sauvignon Blanc can be sourced from other countries.

Charles Cutteridge, Morrisons wine sourcing manager, said an alternative South African or Chilean Sauvignon Blanc would allow it to get “as close to the Marlborough style as we can”.

He added: “We’re focusing on how to branch people out and educate them of the breadth of wines and styles on offer. Crisp, dry whites will be a challenge, so if we can get people to branch out the better it will be.”

Morrisons confirmed the focus for its wine team during the pandemic has been on the supply chain and making sure there are enough wines on the shelf, rather than look at introducing a lot of new wines.

“NPD has been more limited than we’d like as we haven’t been able to travel and the amount you can do from behind a desk is limited,” said Cutteridge.

That said it has been able to add to its Portuguese range with a Vinho Verde (RRP: £8.75) and a Cidade Branca Alentjo (RRP: £8), and a new Montepulciano d’Abruzzo under the Best label.

Jarman added: “At a time when customers haven’t been able to travel, we’ve seen an increased interest in more exotic European wines and Portugal has benefited from that interest.”

He said consumers enjoyed drinking a wider choice of wines in lockdown and even post lockdown they are “generally looking for variety and choice and value for money, exactly as they did throughout the pandemic period”.