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Wine

From Bordeaux to Beijing

by Barry Smith / September 18, 2013 / Leave a comment
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Published in October 2013 issue of Prospect Magazine

What associations do the words “wine in China” conjure up? Scandals concerning fake bottles of Château Lafite; apocryphal stories of Chinese tycoons drinking Château Margaux with Coca-Cola; undrinkable plonk in Chinese supermarkets? If so, consider the associations wine has for the Chinese. It is regarded as a status symbol; a sign of success and a means of being western. As such, it is more often bought as an elegant present than as something to drink. It is said that until recently the Chinese didn’t really like wine. They found it too sour. But China has a long tradition of making and drinking alcohol, and now its newly-affluent consumers have acquired, if not a taste, then at least a firm practice of drinking European wines.

The preferences of the new elite are clear, and depend on a chain of associations. The word sometimes used for wine in Mandarin, hóngjiu, means “red alcohol,” so wine is often taken to mean red wine; red wine means French wine, and French wine is Bordeaux. The most highly-prized wines are those classified as first growths, the most sought after of all being Château Lafite. This is unsurprising: the Domaines Baron de Rothschild, who make Château Lafite, also own 25 hectares of vines in Shandong, where they aim to produce the first great Chinese Grand Cru for the domestic market. Shandong is a peninsula southeast of Beijing, at roughly the same latitude as Napa Valley, where growing conditions are good. The Rothschild investment in China has created very powerful brand recognition for Château Lafite, which is now virtually unaffordable to anyone but Chinese billionaires. One consequence is the rise of forgeries in China; the company has responded with security measures on its bottles. But there are also lookalikes, such as the respectable winery Château Lafitte, and the delightfully absurd Châtelet Lafite.

The thirst for Bordeaux has led to Chinese investors purchasing châteaux there, the latest foreign investors after…

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  1. Alex Boer
    October 8, 2013 at 13:48
    Are you aware that wine also comes with few health benefits. Dining with wine is a moment to unwind. Nobody thought that it could bring good effect on human body. As a matter of fact, an antioxidant called Resveratrol has been found in red wine. Resveratrol is an antioxidant which occurs naturally in plant products such as grapes, cocoa, and green tea is linked to health of brain and heart. In humans, this antioxidant has a unique ability to dilate the blood vessels, which reduces the risk of blood clotting, obesity, diabetes, and actually lowering bad cholesterol.

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About this author

Barry Smith
Barry Smith is director of the Institute of Philosophy, and editor of “Questions of Taste: The Philosophy of Wine” (OUP)
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