California winemakers work to crack Chinese market

Maybe it's because of the ‘Asian flush syndrome,' also known as the ‘Asian glow.' But a new survey has found that 91 percent of drinkers in China would like to see lower alcohol content in wine.

Commissioned by German wine trade fair Prowein, the survey, carried out by Wine Intelligence, found that the majority of Chinese oenophiles said their ideal alcohol content in wines would be between 8.5 to 10.5 percent by volume, reported Decanter magazine last week. The average bottle of wine contains between 12.5 and 14.5 percent alcohol.

That percentage dips even lower among young, female Chinese drinkers aged 18 to 39, who said their preferred level of alcohol would be between 5.5 to 8 percent -- just a little higher than the average alcohol level of beer.

The overwhelming preference for lower alcohol wines among Asian respondents could stem from a condition known as the ‘Asian flush,' an inability to properly metabolize alcohol that causes people -- most commonly those of East Asian descent from China, Japan and Korea -- to turn bright red, induces lightheadedness and nausea, and increases heart palpitations.

Meanwhile, the preference for lower alcohol wines drops in Britain, Germany and the US, where about 22 percent of drinkers said their ideal wine would be 10.5 percent of less.

Wine Intelligence polled about a thousand drinkers across all continents.

The survey also revealed national -- and patriotic -- preferences for grape varietals, as drinkers in the UK cited Merlot and Pinot Grigio as their favorites, while drinkers in the US and China favored Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Germans preferred Dornfelder and Riesling.

The poll also found a wide continental divergence when it comes to ethical consumption: while 86 percent of Chinese oenophiles and 67 percent of Germans said that drinking organic, sustainable or Fairtrade wine was important to them, that figure dropped to about a third for American and British drinkers.

Prowein is an international trade fair for wines and spirits and will host 3,600 exhibitors. The trade show kicks off March 4 to 6 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Meanwhile, Vinisud, the largest wine show dedicated to Mediterranean producers, has been aggressively targeting the Asian market at this year's edition, holding press conferences in Tokyo, Shanghai and Seoul in advance of the show. Vinisud opened in Montpellier, France on February 20 and closes February 22.