Untapped potential to sell Hawke's Bay wine in China

Hawke's Bay winemakers are producing a diversity of quality wines which have the potential to make a huge commercial impact on the expanding Chinese market, a visiting expert has said.

Visiting Chinese wine consultant Fongyee Walker, who met with a group of 30 local winemakers last week, described China as a "blank page" with an ever-increasing number of consumers keen to be educated about wine. She told the group the country was so vast that even making inroads into a city of 7 million to 10 million people would be a huge market for any Hawke's Bay winery.

Ms Walker and her husband Edward Ragg are founders of Dragon Phoenix Fine Wine Consulting - China's leading Wine and Spirit Education Trust which works to educate the Chinese populace about wine, and assists wine companies around the world to establish markets there.

While the potential was huge for Bay wineries the market had to be approached carefully and seriously, she said. "You need to be committed, you need to work at it, visit regularly, be prepared to create a buzz and create an identity - if you want a meaningful relationship then you have to do the legwork."

She said the market was open but potential exporters needed to choose with care and target "one or two" places then be prepared to help educate about wine with what she called "simple messages."

One Bay winery which has been exporting to China for more than two years is Ngatarawa Wines.

"It is definitely about developing relationships and your networks, and being patient," managing director Alwyn Corban said.

"There are masses of opportunities but you need to take the time to sift through them.