« China is a high potential market for Sweet Bordeaux, explains Emma Baudry, Communication manager of the sweet wines appellations from Gironde, but we must explain that Bordeaux is not just red wines ». Starting in 2009, The Union of Grands Vins Liquoreux de Bordeaux has a budget of €150,000 a year for three years. €45,000 were spent in the first year on the Chinese market, via Hong Kong, its gateway.

The budget doubled to €90,000 in 2011, 50% of which came from European subsidies. « We were present at the Wine and Dine Festival in Hong Kong in 2009 and organised 1,200 samplings on a 2sqm stand. In 2010, we reached 12,000 samplings on 18sqm and we had 27sqm in 2011. We invite journalists, people from the trade and a star-studded chef to organise a gastronomic meal with the press. Such initiatives are advertised on Facebook, adds Emma Baudry.

Until now, operations on Sweets covered Hong Kong mainly. They started being aggressive on China as of 2011 with a first participation to the wine awards of Wuhan, where the AAPrAA (the agency for the food industry in Aquitaine) just employed Christelle Chaine, an international volunteer (VIE). The Chinese effort is being carried forward in 2012 with targeted actions in Shanghai and other provincial cities. Jacques Médeville, one of the major importers of Sweet Bordeaux, rides the wave: « We have warehouses in the free zones of Nanhua and Wang Shu and we presently work with ten importers or so, including Vins Gallery and Grand Key, with an objective of 10,000 bottles at end 2011 and the creation of exclusive brands in 2012 ».

Bérénice Lurton, President of the Union des Grands Crus de Sauternes et Barsac, is looking towards the high-end products. « The Chinese like our wines, but they do not have the purchase reaction yet. We have a partnership with the Lung King Heen, a three star restaurant of the Four Seasons in Hong Kong.

In 2012, we launched the « Creations de Chef » event in Hong Kong, a competition for the best wine and food match created by a young chef. Within China, we work on events with Cho Lee, Debra Meiburg and Andrew Bigbee, commodores of Bordeaux in Shanghai … ».

November 2012