Following the announcement that Air New Zealand would only be serving Villa Maria wines in its economy and premium economy cabins in the future, the New Zealand wine industry has expressed its dismay at the move on social media, national radio stations and in newspaper articles.
However, Villa Maria’s owner, Sir George Fistonich, claimed “the publicity was unfair” when I caught up with him last week.
“It focused on the fact that not everyone has got in but Air New Zealand are still totally open to any wine if they enter the Air New Zealand wine awards,” he added. But they are only “open” to a few wines for business class on the basis that you enter the awards.
My criticism was based on Air New Zealand’s claim that it champions its “long-standing commitment to the New Zealand wine industry and their real passion for New Zealand wine” yet has taken the decision to move to just one supplier to save money.
However, Fistonich defended Air New Zealand’s decision. He pointed out that Villa Maria was “the only New Zealand company that met the criteria.” In addition to being able to supply the needs of the largest single server of New Zealand wines, which pours around 6.5 million glasses of wine each year, “they wanted you to be multi-regional – so you could represent the whole country” with Central Otago Pinot Noir, Hawke’s Bay Bordeaux blends and so on. Imagine the outcry if French-owned Pernod Ricard had won the tender or American-owned Constellation?
In any case, it is true that many Air New Zealand customers won’t give two hoots about this: they’ll be happy just to get a glass of something that’s wet and alcoholic on-board. And Villa Maria’s wines are a generally decent drop.
However, is there a potential conflict of interest between the partnership? Air New Zealand is the naming sponsor of the national wine awards, and Villa Maria loves a wine award. Air New Zealand has declared that it will continue its involvement in the awards, and Fistonich has confirmed Villa Maria and its associated brands – Esk Valley and Vidal – will also be entering in 2015. While the wines are all tasted blind and Air New Zealand has stressed it has no involvement in the judging process, if a Villa Maria-made wine won the Air New Zealand Champion Wine of Show in 2015, as it did in 2014, would there be some eyebrows raised and a few unpalatable headlines?
I asked Fistonich if he viewed it as a conflict of interest. He said he did not. He argued that any potential criticism would be easily rebutted, based firstly on their “track record in the Air New Zealand Awards” and, secondly, on the show’s processes: “There are a lot of international judges who come here and rate the Air New Zealand show as the most disciplined and strict.”
Villa Maria is not the villain here but it would do no the company no harm to take a step back to prevent any turbulence in a wine glass that its involvement may create. I will read this year’s results with interest.
