“Move over Lafite, the mighty Barolo is here.” That’s what Italian winemakers are telling their French colleagues who have, in the years of China’s ascent to economic prosperity, dominated the Chinese market with their Bordeaux and Burgundy vintages. Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi, Italian winemaker, is gearing up to please Chinese buyers, which is the key growing market for wine makers. “I love Bordeaux. . . But then you want to look at something else. Italy, the wines are a little bit more personal.” Mr Frescobaldi said his winery’s sales to greater China, including Hong Kong, saw a 20 per cent jump this year due to increasing demand for vintages such as Ornellaia and Masseto.
