Hawkes Bay winery gets taste for China

Alwyn Corban, managing director of Ngatarawa Wines. Photo / SuppliedHawkes Bay winery Ngatarawa Wines is pushing into China with the opening of a showroom this Saturday.

Managing director Alwyn Corban, whose great-grandfather established Corbans Wines, said the winery had exported to China for the past two years.

"The Chinese are turning to wine very rapidly at the moment," Corban said.

"Hawkes Bay is strong in red wines and if you look at the Chinese market it's 80 per cent red and 20 per cent white wine."

Chinese consumers believed in the health benefits of red wine and liked the taste, which was generally a bit less acidic than white wine, he said.

Different parts of China have a preference for different wines, with pockets that preferred white wine.

Corban has made about six trips during the past 18 months to China, which accounted for about 10 per cent of the winery's business, and the company was opening an office and showroom in Guangzhou.

"I think there's great potential for the wine industry and think there's great potential for the style of wine we make in Hawkes Bay."