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67 Pall Mall Bets on China

67 Pall Mall Bets on China

Vietnam to Raise Alcohol Taxes/ Thailand’s King Power Eyes Airport Exit on Wine, Tourism Woes/ What China’s Wine Drinkers Are Really Buying

Natalie Wang
June 23, 2025

Is now the right time to open a private wine club in China? London-based 67 Pall Mall is betting yes. The club is preparing to open its first mainland China location in Shanghai, even as fine wine sales decline and alcohol restrictions tighten. We spoke with founder Grant Ashton to find out what gives him confidence in the China market—and why now.

For those curious about what wines everyday Chinese consumers are actually buying, the latest ranking from Jiu Xiao Er, the country’s leading instant alcohol delivery platform, offers some eye-opening answers. We’ve compiled the top 10 bestselling wines—some familiar, some unexpected, and a few surprising no-shows.

Meituan, another instant delivery giant, just released new sales data that paints an encouraging picture for alcohol sales, suggesting that instant retail may now be the most dynamic and impactful channel in China’s wine market.

In Thailand, however, one of Asia’s largest duty-free operators is pulling the plug. King Power is seeking to exit contracts at five international airports, citing sluggish wine and spirits sales and the unintended fallout from tax reforms. Is this policy backfiring? Hainan, China’s free-trade shopping paradise, is also seeing its duty-free alcohol sales drop sharply, raising fresh concerns about the model's sustainability.

Meanwhile, in Vietnam, wine is facing a fresh challenge. The government has passed a sweeping new law that will raise taxes on all alcoholic beverages—including wine—to as high as 90% by 2031. The move could reshape one of Southeast Asia’s most promising emerging markets, even for countries with FTA agreements.

And in North America, the damage from trade wars continues. U.S. wine sales in Canada plummeted 93% in just one month, after Canadian retailers pulled American wines from shelves in response to Trump tariffs.

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67 Pall Mall Bets on China With Shanghai Launch

The London-based private members’ wine club 67 Pall Mall is defying China’s economic slowdown and tightening alcohol restrictions with plans to open a new club in Shanghai next year — its first in mainland China.

These Are the Wines China Is Actually Buying Right Now — According to Jiu Xiao Er

What wines are Chinese consumers actually drinking today? To find out, Vino Joy News compiled a ranking of the 10 most popular wines sold on Jiu Xiao Er (酒小儿), China’s leading instant alcohol delivery platform.

Mastermind Behind Singapore En Primeur Wine Investment Scam Sentenced

A Singaporean man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for masterminding a fraudulent wine investment scheme that defrauded investors of over SGD 12.6 million (US$ 9.86 million), authorities said.

U.S. Wine Exports to Canada Plunge 93%

U.S. wine exports to Canada fell 93% in April, the steepest year-on-year drop in more than two decades, as Canadian provinces pulled American alcohol from store shelves in response to U.S. tariffs.

Meituan’s Alcohol Sales Surge 18-Fold as Late-Night Instant Retail Booms

Meituan, China’s largest instant retail e-commerce platform, reported an 18-fold year-on-year surge in daily alcohol sales on the first day of this year’s 618 shopping festival, driven by a spike in late-night impulse purchases among younger consumers.

Vietnam Passes Sweeping Law to Raise Alcohol Taxes Up to 90%

Vietnam has approved a sweeping new excise tax law that will sharply raise duties on alcohol, tobacco and sugary drinks starting in 2026 — a move which industry players warn could stifle one of Asia’s fastest-growing beverage markets.

Thailand’s King Power Eyes Airport Exit on Wine, Tourism Woes

King Power, Thailand’s duty-free monopoly at five major airports, is seeking to terminate its long-term concession contracts early, saying a collapse in Chinese tourism and the government’s scrapping of wine import duties have severely undercut sales and made its business unsustainable.

Chinese Consumers Lose Interest? Hainan Duty-Free Sales Plunge 30%

Hainan, a tropical island in southern China once hailed as a retail haven for domestic travellers, is facing a sharp downturn. Despite receiving years of preferential policy support from Beijing—including permission for tourists to purchase duty-free goods such as wine with proof of departure—the island’s once-booming duty-free sector has hit a wall.

China’s Top 100 Importers

The 237-page report offers an in-depth analysis of regional dynamics and market opportunities across North China, Northeast China, East China, South Central, Southwest, and Northwest China. It identifies the top 100 wine importers currently operating in mainland China. This regional breakdown provides a clear picture of where market influence is concentrated—and how each part of the country is shaping the growth and transformation of wine consumption in China.