Lodi wines to be promoted in China

At least two local wineries plan to join a trade mission to China and Vietnam, part of a Wine Institute effort to promote California wines in emerging Asian markets.

Dave Phillips, co-owner of Michael-David Winery, plans to join the tour that starts May 28 in Hanoi and includes three stops in China, ending June 4 in Beijing.

Export sales represent a real growth opportunity, he said, and this is his winery's first step into mainland China.

"As we've reached full distribution in the U.S. now, it's time to look more to our export markets," he said Thursday.

"Our exports last year were up 22 percent, and I think we'll be up at least that much this year, too."

There are risks as well as huge potential rewards in the emerging Chinese wine market, said Joan Kautz, vice president of international operations for Ironstone Vineyards, which has operations in Murphys and Lodi.

"There is huge opportunity," she said. "You just have to be very cautions and very diligent about how you go about it."

After more than a decade of experience in trying to sell to China, Kautz said she's encountered buyers or distributors who turn out not to be legitimate. "To find a true established distributor in China is challenging," she said.

There's also little consumer awareness of California wines, experts agreed.

For many of China's new middle class, imported wine means expensive French Bordeaux.

But ironically, most Chinese palates tend to prefer a lighter red or white style, which goes better with spicy and sweet Asian dishes.

Efforts to sell Lodi wine in China are not new. The Lodi Chamber of Commerce sponsored a trade and tourism mission to the emerging market last year and hosted a reciprocal visit in the fall.

Mark Chandler, executive director of the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, was on that trip to China and said more needs to be done.

"California is way behind the eight ball in China right now," he said, suggesting that wine producers from France and other nations have the early lead.

"There's tremendous interest in fine wine and, as they grow, their middle class and upper class is exploding. Those people want to be Western. They don't mind sipping cabernet and chardonnay, and they don't mind dropping a big dollar to do it."

Phillips looks to appeal to a younger generation of Chinese consumers and believes a Lodi staple - zinfandel - will especially complement Chinese cuisine.

"It's a bit of a risk, but we really want to put Lodi on the global stage," he said. "The only way to get Lodi on the world wine map is to get people to taste wines from here."