Ricewinehasahistoryofmorethan2000yearsasChina’sfavoriteliquorandhasbeencreditedwithhavingenhancedthehealthamongothersofthelateDengXiaoping.Butnownativericewinefindsitselfcompetingformarketsharewithwesternstylefruitwine.

BothforeigntradersandlocalproducershaveinrecentmonthsobservedaremarkableriseinthepopularityofwineinChinaatleastinthecountry’smoreprosperouscitiesandcoastalregions.Thereareseveralreasonsforthis.OnehasbeenasustainedeffortbytheChinesegovernmenttolimittheuseofstaplegrains(主食)forthingsasfrivolousasspiritsorbeer.Anotherhasbeenalotofreportsfilteringout(过滤)viaHongKongandTaiwancitingscientificfindingsaboutredwine’sgoodeffectsonhealthingeneralandmanlinessinparticular.Mr.St.PierrewhoimportswesternwinestoChinasaysthathisredwinesoutsellhiswhitesby20to1leadinghimtoconcludethatChinesedrinkersareindeedchoosingtheirbeverageswithgoodhealthinmind.

Mr.St.Pierreistoastingincreasesinsalesof25%amonth.CarlCrookanotherimporterrecallsthatwhenhebegansellingwineinChinafouryearsagohisclientsweremainly“well-heeledanddesperateexpatriates（侨民）”.HiscompanyMontrosenowsellsmorethan1000casesamonthandexpectssalestodoublethisyeardespitetaxesanddutieswhichadd121%tothepriceofimportedwines.ItscataloguerangesfromcheapCalifornianwinessellingwholesalefor69YuanperbottletoChâteauLafitteRothschild.

Domesticproducersarealsocottoningontothejoysofthegrape.AfewChinesewineriesareincreasinglysuccessfulinbothinternationalcompetitionsandthedomesticmarket.China’slargestwineproducerDynastyhasovercomequalitycontrolproblemstoproduceawell-received1995Chardonnay.TheHuadongWineryinQingdao(acitystillmorefamousforitsbeer)hasalsoyieldedasuccessfulChardonnay.Localbottlingofforeignwineslocalproductionandiftheymaterializelongrumoredcutsintariffduties(关税)maysoonhelpbringthejoysofwinetogreaternumbersofChinese.

Forthecountry’sgrowingclassofthenewlyrichhoweveraridiculouslyhighpricetagisallpartofthepackage.InrecentyearsChina’sconspicuous(引人注目的)consumershavemadethepurchaseofove