Bulk wine used for leverage (NZ)

Kiwi wineries are having to sell bulk wine to overseas retailers in return for getting their bottled brand on supermarket shelves, a Markhams wine spokesman says. Markhams’ national wine spokesman, Graeme Rhodes, said bulk wine sales were making it harder for wineries to make profits, but they were entrenched in many sales deals. “Bulk wine is being used as leverage, with wineries agreeing to supply in order to get their finished wines on supermarket shelves, particularly in export markets.” New Zealand Winegrowers chairman Stuart Smith said such deals reflected who winemakers were dealing with, reports Business Day.