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2024 China's Wine Market In Review

2024 China's Wine Market In Review

Is China's Biggest Wine Influencer's Wine Launch A Flop?/ China's Wine Imports Data/ Xi Jinping's Choice of Wine in Macau

Natalie Wang
January 06, 2025

The year 2025 kicked off with a hopeful message for Europe as China announced an extension of its anti-dumping probe into EU brandy. In recent years, trade tensions between the two regions have escalated, spanning issues from electric vehicles to brandy. Could this extension of the anti-dumping probe signal a potential easing of these tensions?

Looking back, China’s wine market remains dynamic, with 2024’s ten defining keywords capturing the industry’s evolving landscape. Highlights include the surge in Australian wine imports, lifting China’s overall wine imports by 35% year-on-year from January to November, as the country’s latest customs data has shown.

In China's wine community, we have seen what could be one of the most divisive wine launches in recent years. The country’s biggest wine influencer has launched her self-branded wine after scaling back her business and revealing a whopping debt of RMB 56 million. The wine faced backlash from both wine industry insiders and fans. What went wrong? Read more in our full report.

President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Macau offered a glimpse into his wine preferences. In celebration of Macau's handover, Xi enjoyed a domestic wine for the first reported occasion in this region, alongside another wine that reflects its colonial history.

Another winery that’s garnering a lot of attention is Stone and Moon in Yunnan. Discover the remarkable story of Stone & Moon Winery, a young estate established in 2017 in Ningxia that has captured the admiration of the Australian giant, Treasury Wine Estates (TWE).

Shifting to the whiskey sector, just five years after Grace Vineyard launched its whiskey business, the boutique winery—China's first—has announced its withdrawal. This choice reflected the downturn of China’s whiskey market.

Meanwhile, across the strait, Taiwan is set to increase the alcohol duty-free limit for travelers. Hong Kong, the nearby free trade port, stands to be one of the largest beneficiaries. Read on to discover the implications of this development.

Embracing a sparkling moment, Louis Roederer celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Cristal Rosé with the launch of its latest Cristal in Asia. Our interview with the CEO reveals how this historic Champagne house values tradition, opting for massal selection over clones.

In South Korea, American boutique wines are increasingly favored by local giants, with Hite Jinro expanding its portfolio to include several American brands. Meanwhile, in another emerging wine market in Asia, a female sommelier from Malaysia has claimed victory at Asia’s Best Sommelier in the French Wine Competition.

Stay on top of Asia’s fast-moving wine industry with our exclusive stories, and don’t forget to subscribe for premium insights and content.

Ten Keywords for China’s 2024 Wine Market

In this article, Vino Joy News delves into the ten defining keywords of the Chinese wine market in 2024, capturing the pivotal events and trends that shaped the year.

Uncover Stone & Moon Winery, the Ningxia Estate Acquired by TWE

Established in 2017, how did the young Stone & Moon Winery capture the attention of the Australian giant Treasury Wine Estates (TWE)? Nicolas Billot-Grima, co-founder of Stone & Moon, shared his story.

China Extends EU Brandy Probe

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced an extension of the anti-dumping probe into EU brandy due to what the ministry cited as “the complexity of the case”, signaling a potential easing of trade tensions.

Louis Roederer Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Cristal Rosé’s Launch

Frédéric Rouzaud of Louis Roederer shares how tradition, massal selection, and a commitment to quality continue to define the iconic Champagne house’s legacy.

What did Xi Jinping drink in Macau?

Two wines were strategically selected by the Macao government to showcase China’s growing winemaking prowess and Macau’s colonial past while welcoming Xi Jinping, China’s president.

China’s Biggest Wine Influencer Stirs Controversy with New Wine Launch

China’s biggest wine influencer has launched her “all-in” wine brand, Guanghanji, after scaling back her business and revealing RMB 56 million in debt. But the late December launch has ignited a firestorm of backlash from fans and industry insiders alike.

What went wrong? Here’s our story on the criticism, consumer complaints, and industry feedback. What’s your take—are the critics justified, or is it too early to judge?

Grace Vineyard Announces to End Its Whisky Business

Grace Vineyard, China’s first boutique winery, has abruptly exited the whisky business just five years after entering the sector, citing financial strain and challenging market conditions.

China’s Wine Imports Surge 35% in Jan-Nov Period This Year

China’s wine import data for January to November 2024 shows a striking contrast, with Australian wine imports surging dramatically while imports from other major wine-producing nations continued to decline, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Taiwan Plans to Raise Alcohol Duty-free Limit

Taiwan plans to increase the duty-free alcohol allowance for travelers entering the region from one liter to 1.5 liters, as announced by the Ministry of Finance. This change was proposed in response to public complaints about the current limit.

Malaysian Sommelier Wins Asia Best Sommelier in French Wine Competition

Yiying Yong, assistant head sommelier at 67 Pall Mall Singapore, claimed victory at the Asia Best Sommelier in French Wine competition held Monday at the Regent Hotel in Taipei after four hours of gruelling competition.

South Korea’s Hite Jinro Expands Into High-End U.S. Wines

Hite Jinro, an alcoholic drinks giant in South Korea, has made its latest push into the American premium wine sector by exclusively launching two Oregon wines in the local market.