Advice on China Trip

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Claude Bastide on May 23, 2010 at 11:04am

I worked in the PRC a few years back, both in the restaurant and fine wine/gourmet food businesses.
The trade is dominated by 2 western-owned national importers: ASC and Summergate, Ian Ford, the co-owner of Summergate is a good person to talk to. Behind them are a dozen other importers like DT Asia, FWP, TBC, Jebsen, Montrose, Aussino etc. There are also a lot of more regional or local importers doing well.
These companies tend to be western-owned. My experience with Chinese importers is that very often they tended to see wine as a commodity, they happened to be in the wine trade but it could have been auto parts or pork bellies...
The retail business is dominated by the big supermarket chains: Carrefour (you should visit their Gubei location), Metro (Pudong location) and others. ACS tried its hand at retail and it didn't work so well. However importers do sell their wines to the general public and this makes it hard for small retailers to thrive. There are a couple small retailers that opened after i left the PRC, Just Grapes is one of them. Couple of wine bars too: Enoteca is one of them.
As far as wine is concerned, China being an extremely brand conscious nation, it's mostly about brands. The most powerful of them, Vve Clicquot is doing very well indeed. Australians are also doing very well. They built up their market share over the last decade unlike the Americans who have been asleep at the wheel (in all fairness costs are probably lower in Australia than in Napa). Chinese wines such as Great Wall are sold in small groceries like All Day (can't make that one up...) and they are below mediocre, something I would give only to my worst enemy. There are some Chinese wineries managed by westerners that turn out good wines but in my experience 1-it's too expensive and I could find an imported product at a lower price 2-it's nothing to write home about. Grace Vineyards comes to mind. Just a curiosity and not worth the time and effort if you ask me.
Things change a lot in 4 years so do talk to people. I am sure the landscape has changed a bit.
You should head to restaurant Jean Georges on the Bund and talk to the kitchen and pastry chefs there, Eric and Jason. They have tons of info on Shanghai and food (not too much on wine though). The'll steer you to great restaurants. The kitchen is open and it's very easy to catch them there around 8 or 9pm. Plus the restaurant is incredibly beautiful and so is the bar. And you can then go up the top floor on the terrace and take in views of the Bund and Pudong if you haven't done that before. Good luck.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Konjit Selassie on May 27, 2010 at 4:15pm

Claude, thank you so much for taking the time to provide so much information. I will follow up on them especially all the importers you have named. Your "gentle" warning, regarding Grace and Great Wall is appreciated. I agree with you about Jean George, it is a wonderful place with food outstanding and interestingly loud music at night. I will definitely try to get in contact with Eric and/or Jason.

Again, thank you.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Fongyee Walker on May 28, 2010 at 7:57am

If you're in Kunming and can spare the time for a side trip, definitely try and visit the Shangrila winery high alititude section. Some of their wines are very interesting and quite good. Others not.
Hangzhou is increasingly good for wine bars and such.
In Shanghai, have a nice afternoon in Ferguson Lane at Globus and Pudao (Wine Way) goign to a tasting - very good French restaurant there (can't remember the name). Very ex-pat, but then again - it's Shanghai!
You didn't miss much in Shanghai - wine fairs in the PRC range from the farcical to the just plain bad. . .

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Konjit Selassie on May 28, 2010 at 8:38am

Fongyee, Thank you for the feedback! It is good to hear your description of the expo in Shanghai. I will definitely hit Marcus Ford's Pudao, then Wine Mall on Tianlin.

I visited Shangrila winery before with expats after doing a visa run in Laos. But you remind to go back again. What is your opinion of Yunnan Hong and Shenquan wineries? They are on my list for this trip.
I see you are in Beijing. I have a another question for you:
In Beijing , there is an Itaian restaurant in the IBM's Chaoyang District building. I forget the name. It had a good wine selection. Would you happen yo know the name?
Thank you in advance for your reply.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Konjit Selassie on September 16, 2010 at 8:00pm

I just wanted to say thank you all the great advice given. It was very useful.
I just returned and had a wonderful 3 months.
Thanks again.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Savarese on May 15, 2011 at 9:19am

If you find a Chinese buyer for my winery, I will give you a commission.

My winery is for sale at USD 75,000 or best offer.

The property is 15 - 20 minutes by new highway to Montevideo. Details and photos can be seen at this link:

http://www.viviun.com/AD-62540/

You can see the facility in Google Earth by using the following link

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-34.681707,-56.28304...

In Google Earth, the property has the light blue gray roof buildings with a tree, and the land plot can be seen. If you zoom out, you can see Route 48 near the property, which goes to Route 5 which is the new 4 lane highway that goes directly to Montevideo, in about 15-20 minutes.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Konjit Selassie on May 15, 2011 at 9:33am

John,  I know of no one in the market for such a property in that location but I hope you find a buyer. Good luck.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joseph Jones on May 3, 2012 at 3:04am

I remember seeing a forza4 ad filmed in Montevideo, seems like a nice city too, good luck with the sale. (Perhaps you have sold it by now)

• ▶ Reply