First comprehensive tasting of New Zealand wines held in Beijing

It hosted on Tuesday the first comprehensive tasting of New Zealand wines in Beijing, featuring 20 leading wineries, and is following up with a wine fair in Shanghai on Thursday, involving 26 wineries.

France has the biggest share of the imported wine market in China.

New Zealand wine sales are still at a very low level, of about $10 million a year, but New Zealand Winegrowers' chief executive Philip Gregan says there is potential to expand, as there's a huge interest in wine in China.

Mr Gregan, who's in Beijing, says more than 200 trade and media representatives were invited to the Beijing wine fair.

There was also a seminar on New Zealand wine and a briefing on the Chinese market for participating wineries.