Wealthy Chinese are famous for their preference for high-end Bordeaux wines, even if the food pairings with this classic are sometimes questionable. But that is only the door opener for a much-larger eventual market. Notable winemakers from California’s Napa Valley, have high hopes for breaking through to the premium Chinese consumer. Other, bigger-volume producers also are hoping to export more into China. And in Australia, reports the same source, financially-stressed growers are hoping the Chinese will come buy the vineyards themselves. We’re beginning to see wine shops in bigger Chinese cities that have the friendly (if overwhelming) selection to be found in the West. And China is developing an online direct-sale model that may take off faster than has the one in the U.S. See our feature on yesmywine.com
