07.11.2011 - Vinexpo news selection
A new initiative led by the Burgundy winegrowing community sets out to connect Chinese tea culture with that of wine-drinking in Burgundy, in order to develop commercial links with this part of Asia where the market share of wines is continuously growing.
“We came to realise that when we speak about the terroir concept, the Chinese find it easy to understand, because they have the same thing for tea”, explains Jean-Pierre Renard, Burgundy wine consultant and specialist, who launched the initiative. “What we are doing is connecting two mythical drinks between two cultures, which meet via their beverages”.
The number of bottles exported to China grew from 56,000 in 2003 to 696,000 in 2010. The latter quantity was worth €4.825 million according to the Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB), which is also partnering with the initiative. In the first seven months of 2011, export volumes increased by 93% compared to 2010. (AFP – 1st October 2011)