Chinese Burgundy interest strengthens with vineyard purchase

Chinese interest in Burgundy seems to be following the same path as Bordeaux as a businessman has purchased vineyards in the region.

Shi Yi has purchased two hectares of vines from local grower Pascal Chevigny, Decanter.com reported.

One hectare of Vosne-Romanee is at Champs Perdrix and the other at les Petits Monts. Mr Yi also has plots in Nuits Saint-Georges village and AOC Bourgogne.

He will work with Mr Chevigny to supply Burgundy wine in China, using each other's knowledge of marketing and wine growing.

Mr Yi was cited by Decanter.com as telling V&S News: "We intend to work together from the vines to the bottle.

"Besides these vines, we buy grapes which we vinify in our cellars in Vosne-Romanee and age the wines in our cellars in Nuits-Saint-Georges."

Over the past 12 months there has been a surge in Chinese investors buying up Bordeaux chateaux. Now, there are around 20 Chinese owners in the region.