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Wine Channel Is Expanding in China, Here's Why

Wine Channel Is Expanding in China, Here's Why

Alcohol Sales Surge During China’s Valentine’s Day/ Korea's Craze for NZ Sauvignon Blanc/ Krug Scam in HK

Natalie Wang
September 08, 2025

In the first half of this year, as many as 1.6 million restaurants may have closed across China — a downturn that has weighed heavily on on-trade wine sales. Yet the impact has been uneven. While business dining has suffered the most, importers say social dining is opening new doors for wine. Bistros are thriving, value-for-money bottles are in demand, and lighter reds and smaller formats are catching on.

Another powerful shift is happening online. Instant retail is fast becoming the most defining trend in how Chinese consumers buy wine. I still remember a Master Sommelier at Vinexpo Hong Kong years ago insisting that online sales would never take off because people still need to taste wines before they buy. How quickly things have changed. As the head of marketing and O2O instant retail at Oria China told us, once consumers get used to 15–20 minute delivery, it’s hard to go back to waiting a day or two. The surge in alcohol orders on Valentine’s Day this year only underscores how entrenched this habit has become. If you want to know more what instant retail is, and how it is changing wine sales, we have published a series of stories about it on the website.

For New Zealand’s producers, there’s more good news: organic wineries can now sell more easily into China thanks to a new dual recognition scheme — and the first certified wine has just landed in Shenzhen.

Elsewhere in the region, Silver Heights, one of China’s most internationally known wineries, has switched its distributor from longtime partner Torres China to CWS. In South Korea, celebrity wines are sparking a craze, while in Japan, the CEO of Suntory has resigned over alleged drug use.

And in Hong Kong, a cautionary tale: a woman was left with an HKD 80,000 bill for a bottle of rare Krug in what police say was a scam. On a lighter note, don’t miss the South African Cap Classique that stole the show at this year’s IWSC.

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Despite the Downturn, China’s Wine Channel Is Expanding — Here’s Why

Despite the downturn and decline of business banquets, wine is finding new ways to stay relevant on the Chinese table. Based on our interviews with a few of the country’s leading wine importers, they shared that more social venues are stepping up, bistros are thriving, and consumers are increasingly reaching for value-for-money bottles, lighter styles and smaller formats.

Alcohol Sales Surge During China’s Valentine’s Day as Instant Retail Booms

Alcohol sales surged during China’s Qixi Festival, often called the country’s Valentine’s Day, as younger consumers turned to instant delivery platforms for gifts and celebrations.

First “Dual-Certified” New Zealand Organic Wine Debuts in Shenzhen

The first New Zealand wine to hold both Chinese and New Zealand organic certifications has officially launched in China, marking a milestone for the country’s wine trade under the China–New Zealand organic equivalence agreement.

Silver Heights Taps CWS as New On-Trade Distributor

Silver Heights, one of China’s most renowned wineries, has named CWS (China Wine & Spirits) as its distributor for the on-trade channel, replacing longtime partner Torres China, which is now owned by Wajiu.

If you are looking for importers in China, reach out to us at [email protected]

Cap Classique Makes Its Mark: Three Golds, Seven Silvers at IWSC 2025

At the IWSC, South Africa's Cap Classique walked away with three golds and seven silvers, with one winery bagging two golds.

South Korea’s Celebrity Wine Craze: Ha Jung-woo’s $7 Bottle Hits 200,000 Sales

South Korea’s wine market is bubbling with star power — from actress Kim Hee-sun’s California Pinot Noir to Ha Jung-woo’s $7 Sauvignon Blanc that sold 200,000 bottles in just three weeks. Here’s why celebrity wines — and budget labels — are shaking up a soju-dominated market.

Suntory CEO Resigns Over Illegal Substance

The CEO of global beverage giant Suntory Holdings has stepped down after police discovered a supplement containing a controlled substance at his Tokyo home, ending the 66-year old veteran executive’s 11-year tenure at the Japanese drinks giant.

Rare Krug Champagne Turns Hong Kong Date Into HK$84,000 Scam

Morris Cai Customise buttons A bottle of Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 2002 — one of the world’s rarest Champagnes — turned a candlelit dinner in Hong Kong’s Central district into an HK$84,000 (US$10,760) nightmare.

Lafleur Abandons Pomerol to Fight Climate Change

Château Lafleur, one of Pomerol’s most prestigious estates, has announced that beginning with the 2025 vintage, its wines will no longer carry the Pomerol AOC designation — nor even the broader Bordeaux AOC label.

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.