Grape Wall of China

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

A sparkler is haunting China: Karl Marx wine in Beijing

You’d think a wine named “Karl Marx” would be a red, but not so with this one I found haunting the shelves of Jinkelong supermarket in downtown Beijing during the Chinese New Year. The label says it is a semi-dry sparkling, though I have yet to confirm it with a taste test. It might be [...]

Jancis Robinson to visit Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing in February

By Jim Boyce
ASC and wine writer Jancis Robinson will team up for a series of events in China next month, according to a press release from the wine importer and distributor. The ASC press release states (my highlights):
For three nights only in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, the first lady of wine will divulge the [...]

Torres now distributing Tyrrell’s, Francis Ford Coppola, Rubicon Estate wines in China

By Jim Boyce
Torres China has announced that its portfolio now includes Tyrrell’s and Francis Ford Coppola Winery, including the later winery’s Rubicon Estate.  From the press release:
Established in 1858, [Tyrrell's was]… awarded Australian Winery of Year 2009 and Australian Red Winemaker of Year 2009 by Campbell Mattinson, the accolade by Australia’s pre-eminent wine writer and [...]

ASC now distributing Peter Lehmann, Hess wines in China

ASC Fine Wines has added Peter Lehmann and Hess wines to its portfolio in the Chinese mainland as of January 1, according to the company. ASC also includes the wine its Hong Kong and Macau portfolios. According to the company:
Through a loyal partnership with over 160 local grape growers, Peter Lehmann Wines has access to [...]

Too close for comfort? Great Wall maker COFCO takes over Chinese edition of Food & Wine

COFCO – owner of top-four Chinese winery Great Wall and a major player in boutique operation Chateau Junding – will take over the Chinese edition of Food & Wine, starting with the January edition. According to sources inside and outside Food & Wine, COFCO owns the magazine license for Food & Wine and had been [...]

Got any loose change? Sotheby’s Hong Kong wine auction in January

By Jim Boyce
The Lafitte-Petrus gravy train looks like it will continue at full speed next year when Sotheby’s holds its first Hong Kong wine auction of 2010 on January 23 at the Mandarin Oriental. The auction, the fourth featuring “The Classic Cellar from A Great American Collector“, is, according to the auction house’s press [...]

Wining it up in Beijing: Italian wine dinner at Palette; Spanish wine and tapas party at Mosaic

Just in case you were looking to drink some wine tonight…
Palette Vino, hutong edition, will hold an Italian wine dinner that pairs Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, a Sangiovese-Merlot blend and more with foods such as pan-seared scallops, osso buca, and beef tenderloin. The reception is at 7:15 PM, the dinner at 8 PM (RMB368). Call 6405-4855 [...]

Suntory Group buys majority share in ASC Fine Wines

Months of rumors proved to be true as ASC Fine Wines announced today that, subject to approval by China’s anti-monopoly bureau, the Suntory Group will acquire a majority share of the company by purchasing the shares of Wine Holdings Gmbh – an Austrian holding company owned by Langes-Swarovski. ASC co-founder and CEO Don St. Pierre [...]

First Spectrum wine auction in Hong Kong raises RMB24 million

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By Jim Boyce
Spectrum announced that its first Hong Kong wine auction – held simultaneously at Crown Wine Cellars in Hong Kong and the St. Regis Monarch Beach in California late last month – sold all 686 lots and raised HKD26.8 million (RMB24 million / USD3.5 million).
According to a press release, Burgundy and Bordeaux dominated, with [...]

T time: Chateau Lafite vs Chateau Lafitte in China

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By Jim Boyce
Chateau Lafite is insanely popular in China and consumers here should be careful to avoid not only fake bottles, but also mistakenly buying Chateau Lafitte, a separate operation that includes a double-t in its name. Let me be clear: I am not saying there is anything wrong with Chateau Laffite as a wine. [...]

Grape Press: Morocco-China wine links, 7-ELEVEN wine, ICCCW in Singapore

By Jim Boyce
Some China-related wine stuff from the Web…
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Morocco-China wine connection
The BBC reports on Moroccan wine industry ambitions, which includes some mentions of China:

Mehdi Bouchaara, a member of ASPRAM [the Moroccan wine-growers association]… says that Morocco is currently producing 300,000 hectolitres of wine each year, making it one of the most significant in the Arab [...]

Barossa wines, Beijing, and bare ass: Torbreck wine dinner with Dave Powell

By Jim Boyce
Rare are those times when a wine maker drops his pants at a tasting  – I would guess it is on par with the frequency of an eclipse, which is an apt comparison given you would not want to stare directly if the sun were being blocked by the  “moon” displayed by Dave [...]

Value vino: Some of Beijing’s best wine buys under RMB100

Note: The following post recently appeared in Agenda magazine in Beijing (see online version here).

By Jim Boyce
Beijing stores shelves are lined with hundreds of imported wines that retail for less than RMB100 [USD16 / 10 Euros]. Choice is certainly not a problem, although deciding which wines are best is not always easy. This is especially [...]

Rough and tumble in China: The New Yorker profiles ASC Fine Wines’ Don St. Pierre, Sr.

By Jim Boyce
The New Yorker just published a lengthy article by Evan Osnos about ASC Fine Wines founder Don St. Pierre, Sr and his son Don St. Pierre, Jr. In it, St. Pierre, Sr comes off as a profanity-uttering, rough-and-tumble, take-no-prisoners businessman. Based on my experience, much of the language is vintage St. Pierre – [...]

Beaujolais Nouveau in Beijing: Get your plonk at these parties…

By Jim Boyce
The third Thursday of November is upon us and that means Beaujolais Nouveau parties (see here for more on this phenomenon). Get your plonk at one of these parties:

Le Baie des Anges: Beaujolais Nouveau at RMB40 per glass or RMB200 per bottle.
French Cultural Center: Beaujolais Nouveau, alongside other French wines, including Champagne, as [...]

Tasting time in Beijing: Hilton Wine Fair, Zind Humbrecht, Galician dinner, and more

By Jim Boyce
Lots of wine events coming up, including this Saturday’s Hilton Food & Wine Experience (see here for last chance to win tickets and an overnight stay) and plenty of Beaujolais Nouveau parties (full list coming next week).
Of note is tomorrow’s Domaine Zind Humbrecht wine dinner with owner and winemaker Oliver Humbrecht, the first [...]

Beijing Hilton Food & Wine Experience: Win tickets, overnight stay

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By Jim Boyce
The only thing better than spending seven hours sampling from among hundreds of wines – as well as chocolate, coffee, beer, and more – at the Beijing Hilton Food & Wine Experience would be to then stumble, stagger, crawl – what have you – up to a room afterward. Alack and alas, that [...]

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  • About Grape Wall of China


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    A nonprofit blog by wine professionals and consumers.


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    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