The value of secondary brand associations has been discussed in the literature for decades. Companies are transferring their brand building to retailers (Bruwer, Li et al. 2002 ), therefore, it is very important to understand the impact of retailers on the product brand and consumers’ decision making processes when considering other relevant sources of brand associations. However, in the wine environment, few published studies have been carried out to examine the association with retailers. Thus, the primary aim of this study is to examine whether this association transfers value to the image of wine brand and influences consumers’ behaviour. Also, the impact of ethnicity on the consumer’s decision making process will be taken into account. This research specifically provides insight into Christchurch’s wine retailing industry. Owing to the limited time and resources, the wine drinking community in Christchurch has been divided into two groups (European and Non-European). Europeans (150) and Non-Europeans (50) were recruited for the sample. Two research models and six main hypotheses were established to analyze the relationships between brand associations, perceived brand image and consumer behaviour. Research was conducted to collect quantitative data by using questionnaires, including rating scales and multiple choice questions. Face to face interviews and self-administered methods were employed. Participants were recruited by using a combination of convenience sampling, quota sampling and random sampling. A statistical programme called the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. From the results it was found that associations including the packaging, characteristics, quality, country of origin, producer of the wine, retailer or staff qualities have a positive impact on the spending on wine. In particular, the kinds of retailers make differences to consumers’ expected wine budgets. The results also suggested that the evaluation patterns and perceptions of wine are different in the two ethnic groups.