Local worries about wine overproduction are nothing new, according to a leading UK wine expert who has been importing and judging New Zealand wine for more than three decades.

John Avery was chief judge at the New Zealand Wine Show in 1978 and was back in New Zealand this week to serve as an international judge at the latest Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

Mr Avery has been importing New Zealand wines into the UK since the early seventies and told NBR calls to limit production following two bumper harvest had a familiar ring to them.