If we wouldn’t have own our great import business here in Germany we wouldn’t have survived.

The greatest issue of course is that New Zealand is too small to drink its own wine. So the winerys need to export their products. Building up exports is very hard work and needs a long time to build up. Just ask Kai Schubert.

There are many new Wineries in the Wairarapa built up from people who had earned their money in other businesses and not in the wine business, somehow like you.

And there are some very small ones, that hardly do any profit at all. Especially the Wairarapa with its low natural crop levels is a unprofitable place to grow grapes.

Well of course with its Pinot Capital Martinborough, it almost just has enough reputation to hold itself… but Central Otago has been overtaking and starts to hold the crown when it comes to World wide Pinot Noir Reputation.

Best regards
Patrick

I do not think that small vineyards and wineries are less efficient than large operations. In terms of density of management, family run enterprises are superior to corporate ones. There are economies of scale in agricultural production. That’s a myth. Economies of scale can only be found up and downstream, but here co-operation among small vintners may help. Why should we not buy our bottles, corks, etc. together, get bigger orders out and thereby reduce costs? The same applies to marketing and sales.

I am quite optimistic. Why if the large operations are so superior are there still so many small wineries around? Because we ’small guys’ do things the big ones cannot do. And we are smart entrepreneurs too. Lehmann Brothers went bust, not the local co-operative bank.

Enjoy your vineyard
Yours
Rainer