This is a part of a small series of blogs which relate to my pre-vintage trip to ASIA. As a lot of people will know ASIA is regarded as the current ‘Eldorado’ of the wine business for, certainly the Bordeaux trade. My interest is really to get our wines better known and more talked about in this exciting and vibrant part of the world.No crisis, really! It’s just that I don’t think that anything prepares you for the size of the cities in China. Beijing is bigger than the whole of New York at over eighteen million people, and their other cities match that. The typical drive from the airport is generally 45 minutes anywhere in the world, but in China that gets you to the suburbs. You then go through, on perfect freeways, miles of skyscrapers all seeking to outdo Hong Kong, Singapore, etc. The point is this: if they get wine, we’re in the pound seats – and no more so than if you come from our neck of the woods – Bordeaux. Luckily the Chinese get the point that the Formula One of the wine world is here!
The sense of control is omnipresent, but not overpoweringly so. Service is not a match for the southern Asian countries yet, but that’ll change. The impressive capitalistic nature is all over, but tempered by the fact that Communist Party runs the country. Freeholds don’t exist. All property ownership reverts back to the State after 60 years. And yet the richest billionaires in the country are in Property Development.My purchasing of two suits in Hong Kong may have been to no avail, as I appeared to be the out and out “sharp, dressed man” at each event in China with the exception, perhaps of Beijing. For those of you who know me, you’ll know that this is not my normal pecking order in the sartorial league. The women, on the other hand really go for it. Sometimes a little too far, so that it can look as though they could be up for a couple of tricks before the night is out (the clue, if this helps, is sometimes in the shoes rather than the length of the dresses).
I didn’t get why white wine doesn’t work so well in China until it was explained to me that, to the Chinese, white equals death and red, happiness. Thank goodness we’re almost all red both at Teyssier and World’s End, I’m pleased to say. Happily!
My wine dinners were grand affairs expertly handled by our Importer. Every statement was translated perfectly. I say that, they could have been saying "this gweilo's an idiot", for all I know. I quickly realised that quite a few of my standard asides that normally raise a smile – “ I live in Saint Emilion with two dogs, two cats, eight doves, two children and one wife – all of
whom need feeding” - went down badly in a country where dogs usually end up on your plate. Even the statement about Lyn’s parents coming to live with us (hence the reason for the purchase of Chateau Laforge, five kilometres away) didn’t have the same endorsement in a country where everyone’s parents naturally come to live with you at some stage of your life. Oh well!(This I love - presumably if you press 'Emergency' and then are not sure that it really is, you then press the second button - "Wait a moment"!).
The main thing is that most of the punters appear to like our style of wines – fruity and, in deference to one of the winemakers, of good weight. Certainly no wimpy wines!The fascination is always with the most expensive wine. In 2000, LE DOME used to be the same price as the First Growths. With the demand for LAFITE and the other First Growths having gone skywards since 2000, LE DOME has some catching up to do. All of the diners in the four cities I was in have pledged to support and demand the wine, and I have promised to meet them all again in five years to celebrate our
profits based on the new structured price of LE DOME!It was a great three week tour of one of the most interesting and exciting places on the planet. If you get a chance to visit, go. If you already live there, lucky you!
谢谢 (thanks)
