China's The Biggest Market For Everything, Even Wine

What would happen if the Chinese got to be as rampant wine drinkers as the Japanese? The wine world would never be the same. Certainly Australia and France wouldn't have that much to worry about in terms of overproduction.

Of course, we're not there yet, but the Chinese market for western style wine has doubled in the last ten years and by all reports is accelerating.

There are three relatively mature producers in China making western style wine, and in August, the first Chinese-French joint venture winery will release 15,000 cases of its initial vintage. Situated in Huailai county, Hebei province, the winery about 50 acres in size and is planted with French varietals.

It's only a matter of time before Cabernet overtakes fish wine as the Chinese alternative to beer.

Posted by: Alder on August 2, 2005 9:22 AM: Tweet; Share this post elsewhere: Digg it! - Add to del.icio.us - Add to Stumbleupon - Add to Reddit; Filed under: Wine News

Previous Entry - Main - Next Entry

Comments (1)

boyd wrote:

08.02.05 at 10:59 AM

You mention the Chinese more in terms consumers but, there are others that fear the Chinese ability to apply their low cost production techniques to winemaking.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16110860%255E2702,00.html

More than likely this is premature and there will be the arguments of terrior and second world wines not being as good or worth the $5-10 but, it will be fun to hear these arguments coming from Australians instead of the French for a change.