Looking for Entry level Zinfandel to develop export market in New Zealand

Cellar Rats (ITB)
1

Thought i’d try here…

My Father is ITB in New Zealand and looking to source an entry price point Zinfandel for the market (US wines are very uncommon there, Zinfandel even more so).

He’s looking to ship 112 x 12 bottle cases at a time. I’m not sure if that would be semi annual or annual… I will clarify.

FOB price of approximately $55/case out of a West Coast port ) probably SF or LA.

I know it’s not a hugely profitable price point, but suspect entry level Zins must be going to distirbutors in the US for the same or less, and never a bad idea to develop export markets.

Let me know if anyone has any thoughts.

Cheers,

Clayton

2

Ridge wines have a long history, good-sized production, and can age well. That’s where I would start.

3

Corey,

I strongly suspect Ridge does not have anything in this price range - keep the suggestions coming!

Clayton

4

Oh hells…I read that as $55/bottle.v [pile-on.gif]

$55/case is Trader Joe’s private label range. I’d consider looking at the TTB site to see who’s making their wine. Some of their private labels are pretty decent, even at the cheap end.

5

You might want to check with Bronco/Fred Franzia or Delicato. They are major suppliers of wines to TJ’s, BevMo and the like. $55/cs really limits your options is my guess.

6

Ravenswood has a Zin that’s quite cheap. I’d imagine the wholesale price per case being $45-55 for that wine. It’s usually retails for $7-8 per bottle.

7

Rancho Zabaco, hits the WS price point and is a good buy for the money. Cline is another option.

8

Cline was on my radar… Will reach out to them. Agree if a wine is retailing for $9-10, I would think it’s going into three-tier at around the $55 ask. My guess is the big guns - constellation, treasury, gallo etc. would just develop the market themselves if they want to, so a large family owned winery will probably suit best.

9

Hi Clayton, this is not what your OP is asking for but I’ll mention it anyway because it may be of interest.

Sineann (http://sineann.com) does a very good old vines Zin (but well above the price range your father is looking at). Noone brings their wines into NZ ATM.

There is real value in their Central Otago Pinot Noir, which is priced very cheaply because CO does not have a big profile in the US. PM me if this is of interest, I can give you Peter Rosback’s contact details.

Cheers, Howard

10

Just a total WAG on my part but if any winery catering to the OP’s requirements that is distributed in in NZ Gallo would the one. I don’t see them agreeing to do a deal just for a Zin. But what do I know, I’m just some dude n the internet.

11

My guess is that it might be hard to find what you are looking for at that price/quantity. The margin on $55/case probably does not make it practical to transact at less than 1000 cases unless you go to one of the blending houses that buys up left overs.