I was making my way through my emails this morning and a couple of things caught my eye about Chinese wine. First up I had an email from a press officer at Sainsbury’s, which is a major supermarket in the UK, saying they were about to have a couple of Chinese wines on their lists. Within a couple of emails time I saw an article in Wine Searcher about the $300 a bottle “Ao Yun” that LVMH are trying to launch round the world. Will 2017 be the year Chinese wine really breaks out?
When, Not If
I’m no expert on what’s going on in China. I just read the same articles the rest of you do. From the outside looking in it’s a question of when, not if, that China gets it right with the wine business. Let’s be fair, it’s a massive country with lots of climates all over the place. Someone, somewhere will find some great terroir to grow some grapes. Add that to paying large sums to top winemakers to come out and teach them how to do it, and you’re not far off.
Sainsbury’s Take A Punt
I think the Sainsbury’s wines, to be priced at below £10 for both a Cabernet Sauvignon blend and a Riesling, should sell well. The price is right, and there’s a big old novelty factor too. Good on them for getting out there and getting a tie up on the go. Really looking forward to trying those.
Love To Try If Someone Else Pays
The Ao Yun? Hmmm…is the world ready pay $300 (nearly £250) a bottle for some high end, but as yet unproven, Chinese wine? I think that’s a bit punchy. But hey, what do I know? Arguably London’s top Chinese restaurant, Hakkasan, is already stocking it. One for the fame hunters maybe? And let’s have it right, LVMH are no mugs, it’ll be a top wine, and I’d love to try it!
Start Of The Next Step
Point is here that all of a sudden, from talking about Chinese wine but never knowing where to get a bottle from, we know exactly where to get it from. That’s the start it needs to be a top wine exporter. But for me I think I’ll start down at Sainsbury’s!
Cheers
Picture: Copyright LVMH
