Today in China who buys wine is always more then those who drink it. "Consumers 'active', which if properly involved, can be operated by word of mouth and open up new consumer preferences, thus new market space. A market that lived until very recently as a potential Eldorado - with double-digit growth, important investments and opportunity can not miss - but today you can define stalled. And victim in a greater extent, are absolutely the French: export data from Bordeaux in the first quarter of 2014 indicate that the shipments were down 20% in volume and in value by 22%, we have defined it a real Waterloo.

So we are at the end of the French dominance? "Consumers are beginning to be interested in other wine - said Don St. Pierre, chairman of ASC Fine Wines (import company) -. France remains the point of reference but widen the spaces of Italy, Spain, Germany, USA and Australia. Also because today more and more buyers are those who drink wine; first, however, in the pre austerity, is especially fine wine bought as a gift in the wine business. "

An example? The Italian wines, which according to Dixon Yuan, CEO of yesmywine.com, online sales portal that speaks directly to the end consumer, "are those who are growing more in our sales." Differently St. Pierre admitted some difficulty in selling the wine at the Italian restaurant, the most conservative and afraid to put our wine labels in Chinese restaurants, where instead come to easily the French and the New World. "It 'spread - according to the chairman of ASC - the belief that Italian wine is well matched to the only Italian food and then remains confined to the Italian restaurant which although important is still limited." The final consumer, as in more mature markets, So grows in importance. This should address the marketing policies, through direct contact. With this in mind, Simon Tam, head of wine for Christie's Asia, underlined the importance of social networks.

"We - confirmed Judy Chan, CEO of Grace Vineyards, Chinese Winery - invite people more active on social networks at the wine dinner events that we think work very well. It 's a way not only to explain the wine, but to create a closer relationship and trust with the consumer, which in turn becomes a true brand ambassador."

Then widen preferences "color": "In 3/5 - said Yuan - will increase the consumption of white wine. At the moment wines like Prosecco, cheaper and more sweet, starting to be popular. "Almost paradoxically, it seems that the growing success of the whites is also linked to less fear on the part of consumers to find among these fake wines, a bit 'as if to say - told Judy Chan - "white wines do not drink and therefore it is no unlikely to be falsified. "

Although the issue of "fake" more than a problem seems to be a sort of "urban legend": "The fake wine - said Tam of Christie's - it's so grossly counterfeit that is easy to find. False copyright - few - come mostly from Europe and the U.S.. "But consumers to buy needs to have confidence. In the brand and the store. "Private labels cause confusion in the consumer - has given St. Pierre - because they are perceived as labels created 'just for China'. Brand not supported by true stories and real, not false but certainly fictitious and invented. "

To change in China, however, is also the same organization and structure of the market. From a sort of "selection" as part of the import companies. "We have moved quickly from 10 000 to about 4000 Importers - said St. Pierre - but the cleanliness of the market for many amateur actors and non-professional is a good, although at this time means less sales. Many then sold almost exclusively to government administrations and now found themselves with a reduced turnover. "

"Logistics is much improved - added Yuan - with transport and deliveries even in the most remote zones; as it has modernized the system of payments in favor of credit cards and online payments instead of marking that up to 5 years ago was the most popular. "At the same time, is improving local production. "The perception of Chinese wine is still low profile, especially overseas - said Chan - but the supply chain is professionalizing and acquiring more and more powers."

"The prices - added Tam - are sometimes a bit 'too high for the actual quality, but there is quality in the local high-end products. It takes time, moreover, the vineyards are still young and the terroir has not been fully explored, but within the next 5/8 years I expect to see the first Chinese wines at international auctions."