Tim Hutchinson (right) in Beijing for a dinner and winetasting event.(Photo provided to China Daily)
When thinking about wine-producing areas, many Chinese will most likely turn their minds to Europe, America or Australia. They are less aware of South Africa and its wines.
The country is the world's eighth-largest producer of wines, however, and brands like Boschendal, first established in 1685 and a top label of DGB, one of South Africa's leading wine producers and exporters, are eager to attract more Chinese wine drinkers.
The brand entered the Chinese mainland market about five years ago, and the company sells only to fine-dining restaurants.
Earlier this month, a group of DGB's top executives, including CEO Tim Hutchinson, came to Beijing for a dinner and wine-tasting event, as part of its global celebration of the winery's 300th anniversary, which fell in 2015.
"We get a lot of interest in China," he says.
"Drinking wine is not part of Chinese culture yet, but drinking wine is fashionable and trendy, and there are also health benefits."
Although the market is depressed due to the Chinese government's crackdown on taxpayer-funded banquets, individual wine lovers are not affected. Also, people are starting to drink more fine wines, he says, and Boschendal sees that as a huge opportunity.
The brand has wines in different categories - easy-drinking, entry-level and premium. Its wine making tradition spans three centuries to authentic French origins, with a terroir that is distinct and ensures that a variety of grape cultivars can flourish.
While about 60 percent of the approximately 350,000 cases of Boschendal wine sold annually goes to the international market, only a very small portion of the 12-bottle cases about 1 percent - comes to China, according to Hutchinson. In Japan, where Boschendal entered two decades ago, its wine is very popular.
"We need to be very patient, because Chinese people have limited knowledge of our wine," he says, adding that Boschendal will not resort to advertising because that is not the best way to promote a premium brand. The brand's strategy: Reach wine opinion leaders and consumers through the media and social media.
He adds that winery tour-ism is very important for attracting more drinkers.
Boschendal is nestled in a valley that's only an hour's drive from Cape Town, and is one of the most beautiful areas in the famous Cape wine lands. The natural diversity there allows more plant species to grow around Table Mountain than in all of Europe, he explains.
The estate features a widely acclaimed restaurant, tasting room, extensive vegetable gar-dens and a herd of free-range Angus cattle. Luxury cottage accommodations offer a bucolic retreat with opportunities for hiking, cycling and fly-fishing.
While it's not easy for Chinese to get a visa for South Africa, Hutchinson says the appreciation for South African wine will grow as more Chinese visit the country and its centuries-old wine regions.
The BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have also agreed to cooperate in many areas of mutual interest, which has created new opportunities for South African wines to enter the Chinese market, he adds, as well as for tourists to travel between the countries.
