Press

Wine Searcher (Jim Boyce)

Australia Chases the Red Dragon

Call it winederlust. Australian producers have wondered for three straight vintages when they might return in force to China, their top export market until late 2020 when heavy tariffs forced them out. There is new hope after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met President Xi Jinping in Beijing last month and as China is planning a tariff review. But it comes in the wake of major costs for all involved and raises the issue of just how much of China's market Australia might recapture.

Wine Searcher (Jim Boyce)

China Wine Bars Hit the Vineyard

Bar and restaurant owners are taking China’s struggling wine scene into their own hands – literally. In the face of falling imports and production, they have gone from pulling corks and pouring wine to picking grapes and pumping over in order to make private labels. The conditions are particularly ripe given the rising quality and reputation of Chinese wines.

The Beijinger (Vincent Vinci)

Get to Know Baijiu a Bit Better This World Baijiu Day, Aug 9

If you haven’t tried it already, then today (Aug 9) is the perfect day to do so: World Baijiu Day. Founded in 2015 by nightlife blogger, wine and baijiu expert Jim Boyce, who chose the day of Aug 9 because the Chinese words for August and 9th (八 bā and 九 jiǔ) and sound close to baijiu.

Wine and Spirits (Priscilla Felton)

World Marselan Day is April 27. Huh?

For more interesting information about Marselan and especially its creator, Paul Truel, check out here, which is put together by Jim Boyce, who is delving into the history of the grape and the man behind it. And let us know if you find a bottle of Marselan and your opinion of it.

Wine Searcher (Jim Boyce)

China’s New Wave of Natural Wine

They say a little stress for vines leads to better wines. That maxim also applies to Chinese producers these past three years. Of course, Covid brought more than a little stress. Local wine production and wine imports plummeted while the trade had fleeting access to the outside world and faced major restrictions at home during a zero-Covid regime that ended in December. Even so, many winemakers raised their game in terms of quality and diversity. The latter saw a blooming of niche wines that checked boxes such as "orange", "natural", "pet-nat" and "biodynamic" and used grapes far beyond the Bordeaux varieties traditionally favored.

Terroir Sense (Ian D'Agata)

Marselan Finds A Home in China: One of Country’s Three Signature Grape Varieties and Wines

Marselan’s success has been such that Bejing-based wine writer Jim Boyce has created “World Marselan Day”, an annual celebration of the grape at wine shops, wine bars and restaurants that takes place over a number of days, organized by Grape Wall of China and powered by Wine to Asia.

South China Morning Post (Josephine Tee)

Will the world drink more baijiu in 2022?

Jim Boyce, founder of World Baijiu Day and owner of several wine and spirits blogs, notices a growing shift for brands to target the young. “In terms of the China market, there is lots of talk about growing interest among the younger generations in local brands and products, so people are hopeful that will inspire more focus on baijiu and spin-off products such as cocktails and canned mixed drinks.”