Wonder Wines—Marketing China

Click here for the "Wonder Wines" Resource Center—(all posts available)
Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Wonder Wines"

This is an "short" post—click here for an explanation of Round and Square post lengths.

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One year ago on Round and Square (8 April 2013)—China's Lunar Calendar 2013 04-08
Two years ago on Round and Square (8 April 2012)—Fieldnotes From History: Shrine Culture
Three years ago on Round and Square (8 April 2011)—Displays of Authenticity: Introduction

[a] Glass of Hong Kong RF

Not quite a decade ago, after a long day climbing and descending the twisting steps of Mt. Tai, I settled in for a very nice and (I thought to myself) well-earned meal at one of the new "coffee shops" in the little mountainside city of Taian. These are not Starbucks, trust me. They have full menus, full bars, and well-trained staff members. I ordered my meal, and then decided (the idea had knocked around in my mind for most of the day, and I considered it a reward for hard work) to order some wine.

As I reread my notes from the day, I relaxed and prepared for the delicious combination of fatigue and dry, red wine. It was an obscure Bordeaux, and not particularly expensive, but I could tell that the staff went to a great deal of trouble securing the foreign bottle from the wine case, and preparing an elaborate tray of stemware and side dishes to go with it.

And there it came, with both the proprietor and staff member (a sort of everyday sommelier-in-training). I looked at the bottle as they worked to uncork it. 

I hadn't noticed that some of the accompaniments were, let us say, non-standard.

Into the ice-cube bowl went the tongs, and clink-clink-clink, three big ice-cubes dropped into my glass. Then I heard a crunch and a fizz. The Sprite was open, and heading up into the direction of my glass. My precious glass.

My wine glass.

I struggled to maintain a jovial disposition, even as I quite suddenly implored him to stop. I took a deep breath and explained that I wouldn't be needing the ice cubes or the Sprite, and that I was very sorry to have them waste an open can. I even said that I would be happy to pay for it. "It's part of the wine order, so you paid for it anyway," the manager replied. The waiter brought the cubes and the Sprite back to the kitchen, and I chatted for a while with the manager, who said something I remember distinctly. "We don't know much about wine yet; not many people in China drink it. But we'll learn."
*This anecdote is not intended to poke fun; I agree with the post that I have linked to this note.

[c] Nope, the kind with grapes RF

That is exactly the point of today's post. Boy, "learn" China has. Since that day in October 2006, fine wine stores have opened in all of the major cities, and it is not unusual to find a shop or two in even my little mountain towns with eclectic but serious selections. I could go on-and-on, but I'll save more China stories for other days (and maybe a small series on China Wine). 

In any case, the New York Times took this on over the weekend. Good stuff. It's a big market, and it is growing everyday in sophistication, buying power, and, yes, subtlety.

New York Times Fine Wine in China

Stay tuned. I am thinking about an entire chapter in my book China in the Twenty-First Century about wine and domestic markets.

[d] Shanghai Shop RF