IWSC Judges: Chinese wines show huge potential
Following our first wine judging in China, our judges talked through some of the tasting highlights and shared their advice to Chinese producers looking to break into the international market.
Overall, the judges were impressed by the diversity of grape varieties and styles of Chinese wines, noting that many of the entries they tasted showed consistent quality and skilled winemaking. Wine Writer, Broadcaster and IWSC Judge Susie Barrie MW, who oversaw the judging shared: "The wines were invigorating and educational."
While Will Hill, IWSC Judge and Director of Wine at Novel Wines, stated: "It’s been great to see the stylistic diversity, and winemaking techniques across every level, including some exquisite examples. The premium wines showed clear distinct character."
Isa Bal MS, IWSC Judge and Founder and Director of Trivet noted that the wine production in China largely revolves around red wine, with a few key grapes in each region. Susie Barrie MW agreed with this observation and was keen to emphasise how she wanted to see more "middle range" wines.
Cabernet is a popular grape in China, representing more than 50% of the wines the judges tasted. Dror Nativ MW, Senior Wine Buyer at Marks and Spencer, was pleased to taste some "world class Cabernet, with a lot of fruit character". Isa Bal MS agreed but added that "there was a lot of winemaking going on, but I do feel to retain more freshness in the wines, producers could harvest slightly earlier."
Marselan, referred to as the "signature grape of China", was a hit with the judges who felt that it had plenty of international potential. Will Hill expressed excitement at seeing the grape find a home, and highlighted a gold medal winner made from Marselan: "This really feels like a turning point for Marselan, the standard will keep improving year-on-year." Dror Nativ expressed his hope for the wine's potential in retail noting that "the best examples have that floral strawberry character that customers love".
Isa Bal MS was pleased with the white wines and surprised at how only 15% of Chinese wine production is white. He spotlighted the gastronomic potential of white wines, especially with the country’s varied and diverse cuisine. "The white wines we tasted, from Chardonnay to Petite Manseng alongside a few other varieties, have been very pleasant. I would love to see a bit more white wine produced in China," he added.
Will Hill agreed: "We had some exceptional Chardonnay that would hold up anywhere in the world in a tasting. It’s definitely one of those grapes with potential but I want to see more white wine, and more grape diversity." He also highlighted some issues with oak use and acidity in several examples.
Dror Nativ MW, shared his views on current retail trends in the UK and how they apply to Chinese wines. The future is bright "for lower alcohol, more elegantly balanced styles, partially driven by customer preference but also by the UK’s duty system. The wines that we tasted here in China that had slightly lower alcohol like Pinot Noir and Sancerre with a lighter body would be more successful in the UK market."
The panel also touched on sustainability, with Dror Nativ MW emphasising that consumers want to see sustainable principles applied in the vineyard. Will Hill echoed this opinion, adding: "Packaging is something I would advise Chinese producers to take into account. Getting across the story of the wine, the producer and their sustainability journey is so important, we always say wine selling is storytelling!"
Susie Barrie MW underlined the need for Chinese producers to switch to lighter bottles, with lighter alcohols and more stable price points in order to appeal to a UK consumer: "More comfortable prices mean more people will try your wines!"
To conclude, our panel agreed there is huge potential within Chinese wine industry. Isa Bal MS also highlighted the will and determination of Chinese producers and said he will be keeping an eye on what happens in viticulture and development over the next decade. Susie Barrie MW meanwhile expressed a desire to learn more about Chinese wine. "Chinese producers were just so enthusiastic about their wines, they want to communicate about their wine and want everyone to know about it, so now we’re enthusiastic and we want to see the rest of it!"
Best Chinese Wines 2024
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