Grape Wall of China

A China Wine Blog: The Scene in the World’s Largest Market

Interview: Jancis Robinson on China

Posted on | March 5, 2008 | 2 Comments

By Jim Boyce

jancis-robinson-interview-in-beijing-china.JPG
The red bag on the table? See below for details. (Photo: Swissotel)

I sat down for a quick interview with Jancis Robinson last night at Flow Lounge & Bar in Swissotel Beijing. Besides having a popular Web site, she writes a weekly column for The Financial Times, edits The Oxford Companion to Wine, and, with Hugh Johnson, wrote The World Atlas of Wine.

What changes have you witnessed in the wine scene during your visits to China?
This is my third visit – 2002, 2003 and 2008.

I’m slightly disappointed that quality hasn’t made more progress as I can see. We’re still at the stage of diluted AC Bordeax, which is the most difficult wine in the world to sell at the moment.

Marcus Ford at M on the Bund [in Shanghai] and others organized a blind tasting of 15 reds [during her recent visit]. All I’ll say is that the range didn’t knock my socks off, although three or four I thought were pretty good. I had hope, because of my faith in the Chinese work ethic and determination, that the wines would show five years’ worth for progress, but it wasn’t there.

Which wine-producing regions have you visited in China and how do they match up?
The visits include my trip to Suntime [in 2003] and a trip to Grace [Vineyard] yesterday, and in 2003 a trip to a few of the wineries in Hebei. Of course, out west the terrain is so completely different. The scale – Suntime had massive vineyards that didn’t look as though they were farmer-owned, but looked like they were owned by Suntime, while around Grace they have the farmer plots.

What is your general impression of Chinese wines and the grape varieties being used?
As far as varieties, it’s rare that you taste anything other than Cabernet and Merlot. I honestly can’t think of any other country that has such a huge area planted with such a tiny portion of grape varieties.

The most common wine style, being bone dry, red and tannic, is the worst match for Chinese food.

What advice would you give to Chinese who are new to wine?
I would say don’t listen to advertising and try lots of different styles of wine. Try a white wine, a fruity wine, even a fruity red wine, depending on what you’re eating. Don’t think that wine has to be Cabernet or Merlot. That Dr Loosen Riesling [available from Summergate] is very friendly. So many people in the trade have told me that if they give it to people, they love it.

Note: I brought along a bottle of 2003 Crystal Dry and 2005 Rose Honey, both from Yunnan Red Wine Company and made with hybrid grapes. Robinson’s quick appraisal:

[The Rose Honey] is perhaps a little sweet to eat with food, but it’s a perfectly good entry-level wine. [The Crystal Dry] has too many foreign smells to me; it’s too non-vinifera.

###

For more by Jancis Robinson about China, see The vinification of China and My Chinese adventures – Part II. This City Weekend post includes a live blogging session and recording from Robinson’s recent talk at the Shanghai International Literary Festival.

Thanks to Swissotel for providing glasses for the tasting (by the way, I discovered they have a two-for-one special every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 PM in Flow). Afterwards, I sat down with Swissotel’s Dominik Hager and Nathan Wang to get their take on the wines. Neither of them were fond of the Crystal Dry, finding it weird (the 2003 may be past its due date, plus the wine was far too warm). As for Rose Honey, both found it had a perfumed nose. Wang said that it lacked body, but was OK as a light wine. He has been trying Chinese wines for over a decade, so expect to see him soon featured here in an interview.

red-wine-chicken-potato-chips.JPG
Available in your finest Beijing supermarkets (Photo: M-Dawg)

Category: Jim Boyce

Comments

2 Responses to “Interview: Jancis Robinson on China”

  1. Grape Wall of China » Translation: 英国葡萄酒大腕Jancis Robinson谈中国葡萄酒
    May 9th, 2008 @ 3:35 pm

    [...] (The translation below first appeared here. The original interview in English is here.) [...]

  2. Grape Wall of China » Wine word - Grape talk in China and beyond
    July 2nd, 2008 @ 3:01 pm

    [...] Jancis Robinson Writer, critic (translation) [...]

Leave a Reply





  • About Grape Wall of China


    beijing-boyce-grape-wall-of-china-logo

    A nonprofit blog by wine professionals and consumers.


    Follow: On Twitter and Facebook.
    Email: beijingboyce at yahoo.com

  • Grape Wall Contributors


    In alphabetical order (see full list)


    Nicolas Carre
    Sommelier


    Chantal Chi
    Writer


    Yvonne Chiong
    Sommelier, consultant


    Judy Leissner
    Grace Vineyard CEO


    Alain Leroux
    Wine maker, consultant


    Li Demei
    Wine maker


    Huiqin Ma
    Professor


    Campbell Thompson
    The Wine Republic co-owner


    Brian Yao
    Consumer


    Frankie Zhao
    Pro-Wine Training & Consultancy owner


    Jim Boyce
    Consumer, blog administrator