vin-la-chine-est-devenue-le-septieme-producteur-mondial!

[just john]

£145,000 for a single bottle of Château Lafite-Rothschild, but will you be drinking Chinese wine in the next few years?, China is now the world's 7th largest producer and set to overtake Australia. Wine exhibition organisers Vinexpo's report, said Chinese bottles could be in British supermarkets – and even France, where currently 1 in four bottles drunk is imported!

 china-wine-production-suddenly-soars-to-seventh-in-global-rankings-

Vin-la-chine-est-devenue-le-septieme-producteur-mondial.

edit; just a couple of dozen to go, what's your game?[:P]

[debbie]

For all the French wine enthusiasts, just finished reading "Wine & War" by Don & Petie Kladstrup (copywrite 2001). Great book about how the French vineyards were affected during WWII.

[Loiseau]

Out of curiosity, on a visit to Vinopolis in London a few years ago, I tried a glass of Chinese wine.

It was truly horrible.

Angela

[Gardian]

[quote user="just john "]

France, where currently 1 in four bottles drunk is imported!

[/quote]

I find that almost unbelievable.

In most of the supermarkets I know, there's barely an imported bottle available for sale. 

[Gardengirl]

Hardly any imported wines in supermarkets around us either. In the last couple of years they've started having the odd bottle of Australian, but that's about all. I can't say I've particularly looked for it, but haven't seen even that regularly. Chinese wine; I think I'll give it a miss for now - I'm more than happy with the local offerings.  [:)]

Mind you, there's not much in the way of cognac either, just one or two brands I've never heard of. Unlike whisky of which there are shelves full - also mostly names I've never heard of. French people say, yes, but those are English names aren't they? Yes, but not known to me in UK.

[Araucaria]

[quote user="gardengirl "]

Hardly any imported wines in supermarkets around us either. In the last couple of years they've started having the odd bottle of Australian, but that's about all. I can't say I've particularly looked for it, but haven't seen even that regularly. Chinese wine; I think I'll give it a miss for now - I'm more than happy with the local offerings.  [:)]

Mind you, there's not much in the way of cognac either, just one or two brands I've never heard of. Unlike whisky of which there are shelves full - also mostly names I've never heard of. French people say, yes, but those are English names aren't they? Yes, but not known to me in UK.

[/quote]

My favourite is "Old Lady's Gin". Never seen it anywhere but here.

[just john]

I find a quite a bit of Italian, Spanish and German wines in French Supermarkets, especially Lidl, including Chilean and South African wines? I do prefer French terroir, however . . .

The Chinese are serious and are following the Australian and American model starting from scratch in new territoritories with new plants and specialist new world producers on a massive scale. While in the US I visited Castello-di-amorosa-calistoga Not only is this vineyard such a product, to stamp their mark they imported an Italian Castello shipped it brick by stone from Italy to the US and rebuilt it in spectacular style as their focal point and symbol of their intent. This is the model the Chinese chosen and have already achieved; next time you see a Chateau for sale, just check to see if it is still there after the owners were due to take possession![:D]

 

[Gardengirl]

Teapot, it's interesting to hear that theyre going that route; it's certainly been very successful. Having read what you say, I'll try some if I ever come across it, although it won't be in our local supermarkets here. Maybe Waitrose/Sainsbury will stock it eventually; they get some interesting wines in. I wonder what their labels will show; some of the whisky bottles in our local supermarkets show great flair!  [:D]