A Toast to China's Wine Industry

Looking to hitch a ride on the growth of Chinese consumer spending? Wine is one unlikely area that could prove rewarding.

The popular Western tipple remains marginal when it comes to Chinese drinking habits. Wine has accounted for 4.7% of alcoholic retail sales so far in 2009, according to Access Asia, down from 5.4% in 2008. Part of the decline was due to the economic slowdown, particularly evident in China's richer, eastern cities, where wine consumption has traditionally been strongest.

But wine still may be a good investment