China, speeding up pace in global wine market

"What is important is that a New World is being born -- mainly China and India." Said Robert Beynat, chief executive of Vinexpo

The London-based International Wine and Spirit Research group (IWSR) ranks China as the world's seventh largest grape-based wine producer, and domestic production is increasing with government support for the new vineyards.

In India, consumption increased by 170 percent from 2004 to 2010, and total surface area under vines doubled between 2007 and 2010, with predicted expansion of another 56 percent by 2014, according to IWSR.

IWSR and merchants at Vinexpo said the United States is still the most lucrative retail market for wine, and will soon bypass Britain in volume. 

"The Americans are going to be the biggest consumers in volume by 2013-2014," predicted Beynat. "It would be a fundamental error to concentrate on China. The future is unquestionably the United States." 

"China is growing quickly but it will take time to gain stability and tomorrow it could stop," cautioned David Bolzan, managing director of Bordeaux merchant Cordier Mestrezat.