Politics Key To Success in Good Conversation - Study

Forget rugby hunks and celebrities – Prime Minister John Key is the man Kiwis would most like to ring in the New Year with, according to new research.

The finding was released today as part of the Mud House Wine Survey* – an independent study which looked at New Zealanders’ attitudes towards the consumption of wine.

Almost one in three (32%) Kiwis selected the Prime Minister as their preferred choice to share a glass of wine and a chat. This sentiment increased with age and was the strongest preference among males. Rugby coach Graham Henry was the next popular choice with 13% of the male vote.

Females were divided between the Prime Minister and actor Robyn Malcolm as the person they’d most like to share good wine and good conversation with, while TV star Jacquie Brown was the next popular choice with 11% of the vote.

The respondents also showed that despite our reputation as a rugby, racing and beer nation we are really a nation of wine lovers, with seven out of ten (71%) of us having a preference for either red or white varieties.

More than one third (36%) of men preferred red wine compared to less than a quarter (24%) of women. Half of women (50%) indicated a preference for white wine compared to men, with less than a third (31%) saying they enjoyed white.

Showing our sophistication in wine matching, nearly half of the respondents (46%) agreed that the choice of wine can make or break a meal. We’re also parochial when it comes to choice, with two thirds of us (66%) saying we’d prefer to buy New Zealand wines over international brands.

The most popular wine variety with Kiwi palates was Sauvignon Blanc, with 42% of us listing it as our drink of choice. This was followed by Chardonnay with 30%, Merlot 28%, Pinot Noir 27%, Pinot Gris and Cabernet Sauvignon both on 25% and Riesling 24%.