New Zealand Wine Oversupply and Albarino Innovation with Mark Thompson from GisVin
This show was published Friday, February 13, 2026
- New Zealand Wine Oversupply and Albarino Innovation with Mark Thompson from GisVin
Overview
Chris talks with Mark Thompson, chief winemaker at GisVin in Gisborne, about the challenges facing New Zealand’s wine industry as growers grapple with oversupply and shifting global demand.
Some Gisborne growers are currently grubbing up vineyards as New Zealand works through a significant surplus of grapes. Although certain export markets continue to grow strongly, overall planting has outpaced sales. At the same time, declining global wine consumption is putting pressure on an country that relies heavily on exports.
Chris and Mark explore the pricing of New Zealand wine both domestically and internationally, highlighting how Kiwi wines can command a striking premium in the UK compared to prices at home. They use Wairau River Wines Sauvignon Blanc as a case study to examine how brand positioning, logistics, and market dynamics influence retail pricing.
The scale of the surplus is stark: in 2025, an estimated 100,000 tonnes of grapes were reportedly left unharvested. This reflects both production caps imposed by wineries and the reality that many facilities were already operating at full capacity, leaving surplus fruit without a pathway into winemaking.
The conversation also turns to innovation in Gisborne, including around 70 hectares of Albariño now planted in the region. The variety appears well suited to the local climate and resilient to extreme weather. Producers are experimenting with a range of styles - from lees-aged wines to skin-contact expressions - though a definitive regional style has yet to emerge.
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Music
The music used for the UK Wine Show is Griffes de Jingle 1 by Marcel de la Jartèle and Silence by Etoile Noire.
