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Can Bordeaux’s Biggest Price Cuts in a Decade Sway China?

Can Bordeaux’s Biggest Price Cuts in a Decade Sway China?

White Is the New Red/ TWE's New CEO/ Fine Dining Struggles to Keep Its Seat at the Table

Natalie Wang
May 21, 2025

Bordeaux is Bargain-Hunting, but China Isn’t Buying. Yet Despite the steepest price cuts in a decade, Bordeaux’s 2024 en primeur campaign is off to a shaky start. We spoke with some of China’s biggest wine importers—and the reaction is far from unanimous.

Australian wine exports to China are surging post-tariffs, but Western Australian wineries aren’t chasing volume. On a recent trip to Western Australia, our senior reporter Morris talked to producers about their cautious, quality-first return to the market.

China’s White Wine Craze Is So Hot, It’s Turning Red. Cabernet Sauvignon and Marselan are being vinified as white. Why? China’s thirst for white wine is exploding, driven by Gen Z palates and searing summer temps.

Eight Months After HK’s Spirits Tax Cut—What’s Changed? We dug into the data to find out what’s really moved—volume is up, but premium value? Not so much.

Western Dining in China: Fast Food Booms, Fine Dining Busts Western restaurants are expanding across China—but it’s burgers, not Coq au Vin, leading the charge. Fine dining is shrinking under economic pressure, and in Hong Kong, restaurant closures now outpace openings.

For more news and insights into China and Asia’s fast-evolving wine market—including exclusive interviews, trade data analysis, news and intelligence—read on below.

As US Tariffs Loom, Bordeaux Turns to China—But Caution Prevails

We spoke with some of China’s biggest en primeur buyers about the 2024 Bordeaux campaign—and despite the deepest price cuts in a decade, reactions are anything but unanimous.

Western Australian Wineries Eye China’s Premium Palate

While data might suggest a dramatic resurgence for Australian wines into China, most WA wineries tell a quieter story. Re-entry into China, for many, remains tentative. We talked to local proudcers on their strategy for China.

China Fuels 41% Surge in Australian Wine Exports

Australian wine exports surged 41% year-on-year to 2.64 billion Australian dollars (US$1.73 billion) in the 12 months ending March 2025, as exports to mainland China rebounded sharply following the removal of punitive tariffs, according to new data released by Wine Australia.

Hong Kong Billionaire Joseph Lau’s Cellar Returns to Christie’s With Part III

Hong Kong real estate magnate and billionaire collector Joseph Lau is set to auction the third instalment of his prized wine cellar later this month, following two blockbuster sales that together fetched over US$16 million.

White Is the New Red: China’s Wine Producers Chase a Lighter Future

White wines have become so popular in China that producers are now repurposing red grapes to meet surging demand.

TWE Taps Lion CEO to Succeed Tim Ford as Chief Executive

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) named Sam Fischer as its next chief executive officer, replacing Tim Ford after a five-year tenure that saw the company navigate pandemic disruptions, trade tariffs, and a strategic overhaul of its wine portfolio.

Hong Kong Spirits Duty Cut Fuels Volume While Premium Sales Stagnate

While Hong Kong’s spirits imports rose sharply in volume between October 2024 and March 2025 following the steep tax cut on premium liquor, the value of imports dipped over the previous six-month period, suggesting the new policy had limited impact to boost overall market demand.

Moutai Price Falls to Four-Year Low as Business Gifting Declines

The decline, while not abrupt, has been steady — and symbolic. In a country where alcohol consumption is tightly bound to business culture, Moutai’s downturn is seen as a barometer of broader economic unease.

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.

Western Food Expands in China—but Fine Dining Struggles to Keep Its Seat at the Table

While Western-style eateries are growing in number and market share, a closer look reveals a tale of two trajectories: fast food is thriving, but fine dining closely linked to on-trade wine sales is fighting to survive.

Data Finds Hong Kong Restaurants Shutting Faster Than Opening

Restaurants in Hong Kong are closing at a faster pace than new ones are opening, marking the city’s first net decline in food and beverage establishments in six years, according to new research.