14 businessmarkets SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 2012 CHINA DAILY Rich pickings in learning white from red

By LI XIANG a private school in Bor- [email protected] deaux. “You have a lot of countries A grape-picking trip to a interested in wine education in two because the wine business is years ago that sparked an faring well there and people interest in French has want to learn more about led to a sparkling career for wines.” young Chinese student Wang Chausse said that more than Qiuyun. half of Cafa’s students are Chi- INDUSTRY Th e nese. Five years ago, they only 29-year-old accounted for just 2 percent. from Henan province gave up “Most Chinese students the off er of a masters program want to work in the wine from an American university trading business. Less than 10 to study wine in , percent would choose a som- where she was trained as a melier career in restaurants or — the expert in hotels,” he says. a restaurant who selects the Cafa off ers a two-year diplo- wine to go with the chosen ma course for 9,500 euros cuisine. ($11,700), and students can “Initially I struggled with choose a third-year program the language and did not have in teaching . much fun studying wine. The oenology schools in But as I gradually honed my France are also seeking Chi- skills and started to be able nese partners to attract stu- to taste and dents and off set tell the diff er- falling num- ence between bers. wines, I Cafa has WANG DONG / FOR CHINA DAILY became fasci- developed ties The vineyard of Chateau Leoville Poyferre. The chateau plans to hold a special promotion of a wine it adapted for the Chinese market. nated by the with the Col- richness and The purpose of wine lege of Oenolo- diversity of a education is to let gy at Northwest good wine,” them defi ne their Agricultural Wang said. ‘own‘ tastes and to and Forestry Reds’ star rises in the East “It felt like University in I had discov- realize that wine is Shaanxi prov- ered a whole not complicated.” ince. TOP EXPORT DESTINATIONS OF BORDEAUX temptation of the Chinese market is just new world.” In 2008, Chinese investors have JEAN-PIERRE ROUS- it opened its In 2011, 2.16 million hectoliters of Bordeaux wines were exported for a turnover of too hard to resist. Oenology, SEAU 1.97 billion euros. Many top-tier chateaux in Bordeaux a word almost own school in been picking off Bor- MANAGING DIRECTOR OF DIVA have already stepped up their pro- Beijing and is IN VOLUME unheard of BORDEAUX motional efforts in China, hoping to in China a planning to deaux’s best, to satisfy unit：thousands of hectoliter capitalize on China’s surging interest decade ago, open another 436 a growing thirst back in wine. has become an increasingly in Shanghai, according to Hiring Chinese-speaking assistants, popular major among young Chausse, who added that the home opening Chinese social media web- Chinese due to the growing school is currently training 275 sites, designing labels that appeal to increase in wine consumption teachers in France to become By LI XIANG 241 222 Chinese consumers, and organizing throughout the country, driv- instructors at the school in [email protected] tasting events in China are common en by an expanding middle China. 150 147 ways for French chateaux to attract Chi- class, and a liking for Western It also off ers training pro- As the global economic downturn 100 nese buyers. tastes. grams for sales staff to work hits Western demand for French wines, 71 66 58 “You have to be there to build the And, like Wang, many in wine trading companies in Chinese buyers are being viewed as the brand. You have to show your face and Chinese students are com- major Chinese cities, includ- saviors of the industry. your wines for a market that is very ing to France with a strong ing Chengdu, Wuhan, Hang- Chinese Germany Belgium UK US Japan Hong Canada Nether- Switzerland Th e region, most rec- mainland eager to learn and to taste different business sense, knowing that zhou and Kunming. Kong lands ognized by Chinese consumers, has IN VALUE wines,” says Anne Cuvelier, public rela- the booming wine market in Meanwhile, wine distribu- seen a three-digit growth in its exports unit: million euros tions offi cer for Chateau Leoville Poy- China, is only likely to grow tors in France are also paying to China since the country overtook ferre, a second-growth chateau in the in future. attention to wine education 348 334 BEVERAGES the UK and Germany 296 Medoc region. Industry experts have pre- in China. to become its largest The chateau is gathering ideas for dicted that China is likely to Diva Bordeaux, a leading client in 2010. a special promotion of a wine that it out-drink the United States wine trading company, is According to fi gures released by the 127 121 121 106 104 has adapted especially for the Chinese to become the world’s thirsti- planning to establish a new Bordeaux Wine Council, or CIVB, Chi- market. est nation for wine within two wine school with Cafa in Chi- 55 38 na imported 58 million bottles of wine “We want to make sure they under- decades. na to train local sales staff and worth 334 million euros ($410 million) stand the wine and the work behind it. It It has already overtaken UK to promote French wines. Hong Chinese UK US Germany Belgium Switzerland Japan Canada Netherlands from Bordeaux in 2011 — an increase Kong mainland would be a pity if a bottle is opened just and Germany to become Bor- “Most of the time, people of 103 percent on the previous year. Th e Source: The Bordeaux Wine Council GUILLERMO MUNRO / CHINA DAILY because it is expensive,” she says. deaux’s largest export client. are very shy about wine. Th ey sales value generated from the Chinese So far, Chinese consumers have been Wang now works as an don’t dare push the door of market, including Hong Kong, now neighboring estates and other wine bro- shape the taste of the relatively imma- buying either at the very top or the very intern at Chateau Leoville the wine shop because they accounts for 35 percent of Bordeaux’s kers. ture Chinese wine market. bottom end of the Bordeaux range, as Poyferre in the Medoc area don’t know much about total wine exports. The company isn’t the only one to For Diva Bordeaux, the investment the main purpose of wine consump- where she helps maintain wines,” said Jean-Pierre Rous- Th e lucrative region has seen Chi- be eyeing the potential opportunity reinforces the company’s capital posi- tion is still predominantly based around the chateau’s official weibo, seau, managing director of nese State-owned companies, such in the traditional “negociant” trading tion and brings it closer to China’s huge entertaining and gift giving. or Chinese micro blog, and Diva Bordeaux. as COFCO Group, as well as private system of the Bordeaux wine market, customer base, which already accounts But the trend is gradually changing, translates the chateau’s news “Th e purpose of wine edu- businessmen, flocking to the region which sees a wine merchant assemble for 45 percent of its total sales, said its as Chinese buyers become more knowl- releases into Chinese. She cation is to let them define to acquire and chateaux in the produce of smaller growers and managing director, Jean-Pierre Rous- edgeable and sophisticated about wines, also helps with the reception their own tastes and to realize the hope of gaining control of supplies winemakers and sell the result under seau. refl ected in the rapidly growing demand of tourists and business people that wine is not complicated.” and eliminating intermediaries in the its own name. The company posted a total turn- for mid-range wines. from China who have become Although China does not distribution chain to expand profit A recent move by Chinese group over of 33 million euros last year, and “We don’t expect three-digit growth regular visitors to the famous yet have its own wine experts margins. Bright Food, acquiring 70 percent of Rousseau thinks with the help of Bright to happen forever,” said Georges Haus- Bordeaux vineyards. with the reputation of, say, It is estimated that more than 25 cha- shares of Diva Bordeaux, a leading Food, it can easily double that in three halter, president of CIVB. “The number of Chinese US wine critic Robert Parker, teaux in Bordeaux have been bought by wine trading company, has heralded a to four years. “What is very interesting to notice students going to France to dubbed ‘the pope of vineyards’, Chinese companies or individuals in trend of Chinese companies expanding Ripening enthusiasm by China’s in China now is that we actually have study wine has grown at a rate Chausse is optimistic about the past year, and 30 more are expected from vineyard and chateau purchases to growing wealthy and middle classes for a growth rate higher in volume than in of 30 percent annually over the younger generation in to close deals by the end of this year. investing in the wine trading business. luxury goods and a Western lifestyle has value, which shows that we are going the past few years,” said Ren China. And despite the recent price plunge Bright Food’s move caught some in meant a massive rise in wine consump- from a position where people are look- Lianfang, manager at Strong “They have the potential of top-growth Bordeaux wines, and the industry by surprise, as it was the tion in the country. ing at the most expensive wines as social Study, a Chinese education to reach the very top in wine concerns over a bursting bubble infl ated fi rst time that a Chinese company had Eager to go with the flow, to date, trophies, to a position where more and agency in Zhejiang province. advice. They learn very fast, by the surge of China’s interest in luxury invested in a Bordeaux negociant. most Chinese investors have been tar- more people actually drink wines them- Th e interest in wine educa- and what matters aft er that is goods and Western tastes, wine experts French newspaper Le Figaro geting mid-range chateaux in Bordeaux selves.” tion in the Chinese mainland the experience,” he said. suggest there is unlikely to be any letup described the deal as a step by Chinese at a cost under 10 million euros. CIVB’s president for Asia, Thomas and in Hong Kong has grown Th is summer Wang Qiuyun soon in the growing Chinese thirst for investors to “fi nally plant the fl ag in the With a ready-made distribution and Jullien, added: “We are seeing a turn- substantially, with enrollment is graduating from the Univer- French fi ne wines. heart of French gastronomy”. retail network back home, new Chi- ing point in the Chinese market where soaring nearly 200 percent sity of Wine in Rhone Valley Lushang Group, a State-owned con- Xu Qinghua, head of China business nese chateaux owners usually ship their growth is likely to be slower. year-on-year, according to the with a degree in wine com- glomerate in Shandong province, has services at accounting firm Ernst & entire production back to China. “But we are comfortable with it Wine and Spirits Education merce and marketing. already shipped 150,000 bottles of wine Young in France, said of the move: “In Th e main distribution channels for because it means that people are start- Trust, a UK-based wine edu- She applied for the masters worth 400,000 euros back to China my view, the deal with Diva is a genius Bordeaux wines in China are private ing to care about the long-term prospect cation organization. course at the University of since it purchased the little-known move by Bright Food, as the wine trad- clubs and luxury fi ve-star hotels where of the market.” The thriving wine market Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV, Chateau de Gugat from a Swiss owner ing business is usually the most value- a 4-euro bottle of wine can be easily sold Diva Bordeaux’s Rousseau said that in China has not only wooed one of the leading universities a year ago in the Blasimon region near adding in terms of brand creation and for 1,000 yuan ($157). the company has been selling mostly Chinese students to France, in France for oenology, but Bordeaux. brand management, as well as the most “Th e wide profi t margin is defi nitely 2-euro wines or bottles costing more but has also bolstered the was unsuccessful. “Th e production capacity of the cha- profi table in the wine industry supply the major motivation behind the Chi- than 50 euros over the past two years. education market as French She said competition for teau is about 220,000 to 250,000 bottles chain. nese acquisitions, said Lin Lan, manag- But now wines priced between 4 to universities and private orga- places was intense, with eight per year, which is far from meeting the “And wine traders are the ones who er at real estate company EC Immobilier 10 euros from the Saint-Emilion and nizations that off er oenology of the 20 interviewees coming demand at home. have the most up-to-date market intel- in France. Graves areas are becoming increasingly courses, and are struggling from China. “With our strong distribution and ligence.” “Some Chinese buyers would look for popular among Chinese buyers. with a decline in domestic “I can picture myself travel- retail network, it can be sold instantly,” Xu believes it will give the company chateaux that have a similar-sounding “These wines are consumed by the enrollment, look to the East. ing to diff erent vineyards and said Tan Xingang, general manager of access to a much wider range of wines, name to famous fi rst-growth chateaux middle class, who hold huge potential “In France, we don’t have chateaux and getting to taste the chateau. get a sniff of the market and identify fi rst such as Lafite Rothschild, hoping to in China. And demand in the second- too many French students different wines for my cus- Setting up a wine trading entity in hand those most in demand by Chinese cash in on the ‘Lafi te eff ect’ in the home and third-tier cities has just begun to coming to learn about wine. tomers,” she said. Bordeaux, added Tan, is the Shandong consumers. market.” grow,” he said. But in foreign countries, the “But what’s most rewarding company’s next step, which will enable It may also help pave the way for While wine producers and traders in “Th at’s why we think, for a great part, situation is exactly the oppo- is that I’ve found something it to not only sell its own wines but also future acquisitions by Bright Food and Bordeaux are well aware of the risks of the future of Bordeaux’s wine market is site,” added Franck Chausse, that I want to do for the rest gain a much wider access to wines from give it the advantage of being the fi rst to putting all their eggs in one basket, the in China.” director of Cafa Formation, of my life.”