BEIJING: The last three months have seen a five percent rise in the volume of wine imports to China. In what’s been seen as positive news for the worldwide wine industry, the growth was at a slower rate than the same period last year, but has nevertheless continued to grow despite fears of overstocking of some wines. The importance of China as a wine market continues to increase both in terms of exports and imports. Last week, we reported that British supermarket Tesco is offering Chinese wine to customers for the first time.
The firm, which is the third largest retailer in the world, has started selling an impressive Chinese produced Cabernet Sauvignon that it believes could finally open the doors in Britain to this fast emerging wine-making nation. The new wine, Chateau Changyu Moser XV Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, is a cross between a classic Bordeaux and a rich fruity Australian wine, and is available for less than £10. At the time, Tesco’s Master of Wine James Davis believes China is becoming a very powerful player in the wine world and this launch could help give it its first major push in the UK. Whilst the launch of Moser XV at Tesco was indeed significant, Tesco is not the first UK supermarket to sell Chinese wine. As we reported in February, that honour goes to Sainsbury’s, who launched ‘Noble Dragon Red,’ made by Changyu, China’s oldest wine producer, in time for Chinese New Year.
