Press

Wall Street Journal (China Real Time)

“One Good Side Effect of China’s Anti-Corruption Drive: Better Wine”

"Advances in technology and more disposable income among Chinese consumers are also driving the trend, Mr. Boyce said. Chinese consumers clutching smartphones are more knowledgeable about what wines should cost. They’re embracing e-commerce to sidestep limited selections at grocery stores and wine shops."

Die Welt

“Chinas Winzer wagen sich jetzt auch an Nobelweine”, Nina Trentmann

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AFP

“‘China Will Rock Our Wine World’ But Needs Time”

"We know China can make good wine," said Beijing-based wine blogger Jim Boyce, noting that a century ago Zhang Bishi of Changyu Pioneer Wine Company in Shandong won international accolades, and again twenty-five years ago fellow Shandong winery Huadong won medals abroad. "The difference today is that we see good wine being made throughout the country. The big issue for consumers is actually being able to find good local wines at good prices."

AM 774

“Wine and regional differences in China”, Bruce Connolly

"Jim has a particularly great affection for Ningxia. This area in recent years has seen the growth of vineyards and quality wine production. Ningxia is an amazing story of how the desert has been tamed through irrigation and today is an area whose success is attracting considerable attention."

AM774

“Understanding wine price and quality”, Bruce Connolly

"Jim talks of how the domestic wine situation is changing with increased international competition. Many foreign wines are now literally ‘flooding’ the market. Some are produced in such large quantities that they can easily be shipped in bulk from Europe, for example, and sold at reasonable prices in China."

DRiNK

“China Wine Scene: Grape Wall Challenge contradicts assumptions about consumers”, Jim Boyce

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China Daily Europe

“Mid-priced brands ready for the boom”, Todd Balazovic

""Now sellers have to find customers who actually want their wine because they like it. I think we're moving into an era where consumers have a lot more power." ""By bringing the consumer forward it's creating a healthier market. It's creating a market where people will buy wine based on taste and value rather than price, a famous name or because the buyer has a big budget to spend.""

China Daily

“A question of taste: What do Chinese want to drink?”, Mike Peters

"Everyone wants to sell wine to China, says Grape Wall of China blogger Jim Boyce. "But they spend little effort to find out what Chinese people want." "So Boyce conducts a wine tasting in Beijing every year, offering a changing panel of Chinese consumers (and a couple of cabernet-swilling journalists, including myself) a chance to blind-taste about 20 low-priced wines available in the consumer market here. "This year he took the challenge up a notch. "Lots of hotels and restaurants have been asking me to recommend a good Chinese wine for their list," he says. So this year he mustered 21 bottles - all Chinese wines made from Chinese grapes."