The most famous source of wine in China is French

onsidering the region’s market share, it will come as no surprise that Bordeaux is the best-known wine ‘brand’ in China. Confirmation comes from spontaneous awareness research by Wine Intelligence, conducted among 2,000 Chinese consumers from the middle and upper classes. Quoted by the blog ‘Numeri del Vino’, these results underscore France’s supremacy when it comes to awareness of a region of origin. The Gironde appellations are well represented, from Bordeaux to Saint-Émilion and Médoc with respective awareness ratings of 52, 15 and 20%, but all of France’s wine regions have made inroads, some more significant than others. Mediterranean wines, for example, are doing well: 40% for Provence and 39% for PGI Pays d'Oc compared with 38% for Burgundy, 36% for Champagne and 33% for Côtes-du-Rhône.

France’s wine regions act as a benchmark, representing half of the 32 most spontaneously cited ‘brands’ by consumers with higher occupations surveyed in China. This mirrors French market share in the country. Only three Australian designations featured, despite the fact that Australia is booming in China, after Italy (4 appellations) and ahead of the United States (2 geographical indications).