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How China’s Alcohol Crackdown Is Silencing the Country’s Wine Scene
Who Are the Top Wine Importers in Thailand?/ Moët Hennessy Appoints North Asia MD/ ASC Fine Wines Joins $3.7B Shanghai Investment Drive
Natalie Wang
July 21, 2025
Which supermarkets cracked China’s official Top 100 list—and more crucially, who’s winning the wine game in retail? We dive into the rankings to see which chains are making the most of wine’s changing fortunes.
In a bold vote of confidence in China’s wine market, ASC Fine Wines just inked a major investment deal during a high-level Shanghai ceremony alongside global giants like AstraZeneca and BMW. What does it mean for the company’s future in China?
A leadership shakeup at Moët Hennessy signals a new chapter for North Asia. The newly appointed MD has a reputation for reviving slumping spirits sales—can he do the same for Cognac and wine in North Asia?
The impacts of the May announcement to rein in alcohol at government receptions are still reverberating. In this feature story, we spoke with distributors from smaller cities in China and a trade association head in Shenzhen to understand the chilling effects of the latest alcohol restrictions on the ground.
As August 1 deadline looms for the EU and US trade talk, more Italian producers are looking elsewhere beyond the US. Here’s why Nadia Zenato believes “it’s time to chat new paths with vision and determination,” and China is definitely on her horizon.
Champagne enters the chat—in a luxury wealth report. Julius Baer’s 2025 Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report has plenty to say about bubbles and billionaires. We unpack which cities are a millionaire’s dream—or a nightmare—for sipping Champagne.
How did the tariff lift change wine sales on the ground? We talked to the wine buyer at a listed Thai retail conglomerate to see the impacts on HORECA channel and wine listings. Curious who’s leading the charge? Here are Thailand’s top wine importers, ranked by their latest 2024 sales revenue—fresh from the Department of Business Development Ministry of Commerce.
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How China’s Alcohol Crackdown Is Silencing the Country’s Wine Scene
In this Vino Joy News exclusive, voices from small‑town distributors to leading trade associations reveal how sales have plunged as civil servants ditch their drinks—here’s what’s really happening behind China’s sweeping alcohol ban.
The cheapest place for millionaires to pop a Champagne is…
 | According to the Julius Baer Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2025, which tracks the cost of high-end living across 25 global cities, Santiago ranks as the most expensive place for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) to enjoy a bottle of champagne. |
Moët Hennessy Appoints Patrick Madendjian as Managing Director for North Asia
 | Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of LVMH, has appointed Patrick Madendjian as Managing Director for North Asia, effective July 1, 2025, as the group seeks to revive momentum in the region following a global sales dip and 1,200 job cuts. |
ASC Fine Wines Joins Global Firms in Shanghai Marking $3.7B in Foreign Investment
 | In a high-profile show of confidence in China’s wine industry, ASC Fine Wines signed a major investment agreement last Friday during a Shanghai municipal ceremony that welcomed over 30 multinational firms pledging new capital into the country’s economy. |
Who Are the Top Wine Importers in Thailand?
Following sweeping changes brought about by zero wine tariff, who are Thailand's top wine importers leading the charge of growth? Here are the country’s top merchants ranked by sales revenue.
China’s Top Supermarkets in 2024 Reveal Surprising Retail Shifts
 | China’s leading supermarket chains are navigating a challenging retail landscape, but some are finding growth by betting big on wine. |
Trump’s Tariffs Push Italian Wine Trade Toward Asia, Latin America
 | Faced with a looming 30% U.S. tariff on European goods, Italian wine producers are shifting focus to emerging markets in Asia, Latin America, and Africa in a bid to reduce reliance on their biggest export destination. |
US-EU Trade Tensions Escalate With 30% Tariff Threat
 | A new wave of transatlantic trade tensions is threatening Europe’s wine industry, as the United States announced plans to impose a 30% tariff on European Union and Mexican goods starting August 1, escalating a long-simmering trade dispute. |
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. |
Australia’s Wine Grape Crush Rebounds 11%
 | A new wave of transatlantic trade tensions is threatening Europe’s wine industry, as the United States announced plans to impose a 30% tariff on European Union and Mexican goods starting August 1, escalating a long-simmering trade dispute. |
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