Australian wine critic sees the future in China

Australian wine critic Jeremy Oliver and his 2016 edition of The Australian Wine Annual. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Do Australian winemakers reach out to Chinese drinkers?

Adelaide University is leading the way. Chinese alumni have become great ambassadors of Australian wines, and graduates return to China very bullish on the Australia experience. Adelaide was quickest to take advantage of that and more institutions are now doing that.

How so?

More wine companies now make online ordering possible. The future of the business is online. Chinese buyers are coming to Australia, setting up exclusive relations and selling through online malls. It's not a Western model.

How does that compare to the way Australian wines entered the US market?

Americans noticed Australian wines in 1995, when (famous wine critic) Robert Parker discovered Grange. Then there was a rush into the market with Yellowtail with its kangaroo label and its copycats, and the result was 12 million cases that made US shelves look like an Australian zoo. That generated a lot of sales, but it ruined the reputation of our high-end wines for a while. Now we sell a lot of our best wines in the US.

The perceived value in China has been higher than anywhere else, because Australian products were already seen as quality. Today, 300-600 yuan ($45-$91) will buy a very good Australian wine, but not a very good Bordeaux. If you really want any Australian wine you can get it.

Chinese have been making news by investing in European vineyards. Has that happened in Australia?

At least 30 Australian wineries have some Chinese ownership. I get a phone call once a week from someone in China who wants to buy a vineyard in Australia. Those who do best want to focus on the business, not a quick-turn investment or a glamour buy. People can make a 20 percent return on investments in China, so earning 4 percent in Australia gives them a bit of a shock. Wineries are really about building an asset over a generation or more.

Contact the writer at @chinadaily.com.cn