By Nicolas Carre,

Top-three Chinese wine producer Dynasty will distribute JP Chenet wines in a deal made with massive French producer Les Grands Chais de France. According to this site, “The Franco-Chinese partnership between these two companies was initiated three years ago: Les Grands Chais de France had then obtained the import and distribution of exclusive wines DYNASTY in Europe.”

The site reports that Dynasty will sell four still and two sparkling wines. JP Chenet wines are known for their distinct bottles, which include a curved neck. They were previously distributed in China by DT Asia.

Bubble fans: www.yangjiu.com features two good deals, from today to next Thursday, on sparkling wine:

• Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut Champagne, which typically sells for over RMB300, is RMB200 (for those into scores, according to wine.com, it received 93 points from Wine Enthusiast and 91 points from Wine Spectator, with the latter listing it as one of the 100 best wines of 2007).

• Henkell rose or dry sparkling wine at RMB50, half of the regular price.

You can order these wines via the Web site or by contacting customerservice@yangjiu.com / 800-988-0725.

Thanks to Adam Steinberg, who is now working at yangjiu.com, for the heads up.

Hot on the heels of announcements of exclusive distribution of Australia’s Torbreck and France’s Louis Roederer wines in Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China, Links Concept has also inked a deal with Adelaide area winery Shaw & Smith. It covers the Hong Kong and mainland China, with Macau expected to be added to the mix later in the year. Shaw & Smith has been partnered with Palette Wines in the past.

Did you say Aglianico?

Friends, Romans, wine lovers, lend us your livers: Sequoia Cafe will hold a wine tasting that features grape varieties grown in ancient Rome. According to organizer Frank Siegel, two of the four wines are made from Aglianico grapes: “Aglianco was the principal grape of the famous Falernian wine; the Roman equivalent of a first growth wine today.”

The tasting is Friday, March 6, costs RMB120 and starts at 6:30. To reserve a spot, call Frank at 13701-178-073.

Note: The Sequoia tastings are going from weekly to the first Friday of each month.

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ASC repeats one of my favorite events of 2008: A dinner with the owners of Bordeaux chateaus Canon La Gaffeliere, Pontet Canet, Smith Haut Lafitte, Branaire Ducru, and Gazin, known as “The Club of Five.” Last year, the owners were spaced one per table and rotated with each course, which gave us a chance to talk to each for about 20 or 30 minutes. This year’s event is at Bei, in the Opposite House, with a menu of Australian waygu beef tenderloin, smoked lamb chops, black sesame, and more.

The dinner is Monday, March 9, costs RMB888, and starts at 7PM. To reserve a spot, contact Helen Lu at 6587-3803 / eventsbj@asc-wines.com.

Hong Kong and mainland China have been serving as bright spots for wine exporters in the United States and Australia. While global American wine export volume and value by rose 8 percent and 6 percent respectively in 2008 as compared to 2007, it saw massive jumps in China, reports Decanter, although the local market is relatively small:

Exports to the European Union, up 2% by value and 9% by volume, accounted for more than half of export volumes, but the biggest growth came in Asia.

Shipments to Hong Kong surged 244% by value and 166% by volume, buoyed by the removal of excise duty; and exports to China were up 34% by value and 79% by volume.

Meanwhile, MICE BTN, quotes Lorna Wong, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, about the rise in Australian wine imports:

“Last year’s abolition of import duty on wine saw a 90 per cent increase in wine imports over 2007. While the global economic downturn has put pressure on Australian wine exports, China and Hong Kong continue to provide a silver lining, recording strong value growth. In the year ending January 2009, wine exports to China and Hong Kong increased by 34 per cent (up A$18 million) and 20 per cent (up A$6 million) respectively, according to the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation.

It is always important to note that exports of wine to Hong Kong and mainland China is one thing and sales of that same wine is yet another, as it is difficult to know just how much surplus wine distributors have in stock.

Hot on the heels of its appointment as exclusive distributor of Louis Roederer Champagne in Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China, Links Concept today announced that it has come to an agreement with high-profile Australian winery Torbreck to handle distribution in those same three markets. Torbreck has been closely partnered with ASC Fine Wines in the mainland. From the press release (my highlights):

Today Torbreck Vintners of the Barossa Valley in South Australia and Links Concept Company of Hong Kong jointly announced the consolidation of distribution for Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macau  David Powell, founder and Managing Director of Torbreck Vintners said. “I am delighted to announce the consolidation of our distribution arrangements for greater China . We have worked with Links Concept Company in Hong Kong for a good while and we are particularly pleased to extend our exclusive distribution arrangements into China and Macau. Links have established a formidable portfolio assembling a collection of the world’s finest wines and we look forward to partnering with them.”

Patricio de la Fuente Saez, managing director and founder of Links, is quoted as saying the company will begin distribution of Torbreck in mainland China and Macau from June 1.

He liked his bubbly.

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Wine and spirits distributor Links Concept will soon announce its appointment as exclusive importer and distributor of Louis Roederer Champagne for Hong Kong, mainland China, and Macau. According to Links (my highlights):

Louis Roederer is one of the largest remaining independent Champagne houses, owned by the Rouzaud family since it was founded in 1776. It is most famous for producing the premium champagne Cristal. It is based just south of Reims, France. Tsar Nicholas nominated Louis Roederer as the official wine supplier to the Imperial Court of Russia.

The deal includes other brands in the Roederer portfolio, including French operations Chateau de Pez, Chateau Haut Beausejour, and Domaine Ott and Californian producer Roederer Estate.

The Grape Wall of China 葡萄酒比赛

3月13日, 北京马克西姆餐厅

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Grape Wall of China葡萄酒比赛” 将于3月13日在北京马克西姆餐厅举行。Grape Wall of China葡萄酒比赛”的目标是为消费者找到价格合理品质优异的葡萄酒。评判团队将同时包括葡萄酒专家和消费者。超过75%的评委都是由中国人担任。欲知详情，请参见先前的中文，英文，和法文的三语通告

我们非常欢迎进口商和经销商提交品酒样品，每个经销商将提交最多四款葡萄酒:

• 其中最多提交两款红葡萄酒和两款白葡萄酒。
• 每款葡萄酒必须在中国有销售且零售价需低于100人民币。
• 每款酒需用不同的葡萄品种酿造。
• 最多允许两款酒来自于同一国家。如果提交三款葡萄酒，那么他们最少来自于两个不同的国家；如果提交四款葡萄酒，那么他们最少来自于三个不同的国家。

我们提出这样的要求出于两个主要的原因：1) 为本次葡萄酒比赛创造范围更加广泛的葡萄品种和原产国家同台竞争的环境；和2) 对于那些仅仅进口单一国家葡萄酒的进口商和从多国进口葡萄酒的进口商提供公平的机会。下表（希望）能够帮助大家了解比赛的要求：

Grape Wall of China葡萄酒比赛”目前计划是一个60款酒的小型葡萄酒评比。对于葡萄酒进口商和经销商，我们将采用先到先得的制度。对此次葡萄酒比赛有兴趣的进口商和经销商可以通过发邮件至beijingboyce@yahoo.com 来确认您将参加此次评比，并在邮件中说明提交样品的数量（最多为四款酒）。其他具体细节，包括样品酒的交运信息将随后提供。
备注:

• Grape Wall of China葡萄酒比赛”提交样品的截止日期为2月27日下午5点。
• 进口商及经销商每款样品酒需提交两瓶。
• 参与比赛的经销商名录，包括他们的网址链接，将张贴于The Grape Wall of China博客顶端右侧
• “Grape Wall of China葡萄酒比赛”的结果将于比赛结束24小时之内在博客上公布。

Update: From a press release that ASC will distribute later this afternoon: “ASC Fine Wines will become the sole importer and distributor of Sanpellegrino products in mainland China effective April 1, 2009…. As China’s largest distributor of fine Wines, ASC’s strong distribution network throughout mainland China will help to strengthen the presence of Sanpellegrino products, namely S.Pellegrino Natural Sparkling Mineral Water and Sanpellegrino Sparkling Fruit Beverages and will help guarantee easy access to these premium products for all customers throughout the region.”

Original post:

ASC Fine Wines will take over distribution of San Pellegrino water in mainland China as of April 1, says ASC head of public relations Adam Steinberg.  San Pellegrino is currently in the Jebsen portfolio.

ASC also distributes Voss water. Steinberg says San Pellegrino will fit the ASC portfolio because, unlike Voss, it will be available at the retail level. He added that a press release about the distribution deal will be issued this afternoon.

The debate about closures – corks? screw tops? glass? – ranks among the fiercest in the wine industry. Next month, Miguel Cabral, director of the Research and Development Department at Amorim, the world’s biggest cork producer, will lead a seminar on closure technology. According to an email from the company:

During this Seminar, you will have the opportunity to assess the latest comparative scientific research on the different wine stoppers, as well as the most recent product developments available in the wine closure market. As such, Amorim will present, for the first time to Chinese wineries, its most recent innovation: the Acquamark natural cork stopper.

Conceived as an innovative combination of Nature and Technology, Acquamark benefits from cork’s inimitable cellular structure, further enhanced by a state-of-the-art coating technology…

This seminar is for people in the wine trade. It will be held in Beijing on March 17 and in Yantai or March 19. To sign up or for more info, contact Ricardo Duarte at rduarte.acbj@amorim.com or Li Yao at liyao.acbj@amorim.com.