Affluent Chinese acquire taste for wine
Last Updated: Saturday, December 30, 2000 | 3:33 PM ET
CBC News
For decades, the potent sorghum liquor called baijiu has been the libation of choice in China.
But with a growing desire to embrace western customs, many newly affluent city dwellers are trying wine – despite a whopping 70 per cent duty on imported varieties.
Some major wineries are looking to cash in on this untapped market by holding wine tasting festivals. Italian exporters who organized such an event in Beijing recently said the Chinese are not yet very knowledgeable about the drink.
Sales figures, however, suggest that more people are acquiring a taste for it. Wine consumption in China has increased ten-fold over a one-year period.
Advertisers are capitalizing on current medical reports that say drinking wine in moderation is good for what ails you.
"I'm more attracted to the cultural significance of wine" said one bar patron in Beijing. "In novels and in movies, we see people who like to drink French wine, so I also wanted to have a try, to taste that kind of culture.
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