Wine

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…