Sunday, April 22, 2012

Chinese Wine.....Color me Red !!





There is not a week that goes by without some news about China's wine consumption or production.
The key players are all names that are instantly recognized in the world of wine.
 Among them are Lafite and Moet Hennessy.

But its not just wine companies moving into China, it is also a Chinese invasion into traditional wine regions and ventures outside of China. Can't afford the rent in Bordeaux anymore? No problem. Just make sure you clean up before you leave. New Chinese merchants are moving in. And of course while you are at it, if you are in the mood for it, why not buy a vineyard in Bordeaux. 

On a more serious note looking into the future, there maybe no future for the famed Chateau Latour. Or at least there will be no more negociants handling their futures. Is this Latour's way of ensuring a good chunk of the lucrative Chinese market? 

While we are at it, we should consider another lucrative market. I am surprised that the world's number one wine glass company, Riedel, has not started a huge promotional effort or better yet, built a glassware factory in China.                  
 But never mind, The Wine Enthusiast will take care of that aspect. The wine accessory side of  The Wine Enthusiast does a huge online business selling every conceivable wine gadget and of course wine glasses are a large part of that. Smart move Mr.Strum !

So I have discussed the more serious note about Chateau Latour. But now to the real serious matter of this blog post. Do you remember as a child coloring with crayons or pencils? How proud we were to bring home our master piece. My father was a great artist and his paintings were loved by all. Unfortunately I did not inherit his talent. I even had a hard time staying within the lines. But it was great fun. Put the fun of coloring and wine knowledge together and what do you get? Why of course Louise Wilson's brilliant idea of "The Wine Lover's Coloring book".                                          You can get your copy at Amazon.               When it arrives, take a break, pour yourself a glass of wine, preferably from the region you are about to color and let the world go by one color at a time. But for the purposes of this post be sure to color China....red!