For China's new middle class, wine has become a way of expressing social elitism, while it's become big business for the economy. Chinese wine production is on course to increase by 77 percent this year compared to last year, while understanding fine wines has become a social must.
A summer's night in Shanghai - the conversation is flowing, as is the wine. It's a scene that's becoming more and more frequent in China's major cities as the middle classes gather to relax at the end of a hard working day.
At this venue David Duan has the most important job of wine sommelier. For him the culture of drinking wine is not that far removed from Chinese traditions.
David Duan, wine sommelier, said, "The economic level of China is rising very fast, and China has always had a liquor culture. Moreover, the most important thing is that wine is also very good for your health. No matter whether it's for the elderly, the young or for women, drinking a glass every day will make you very happy."
China is set to become the largest wine market in the world. In just a few decades it is expected that China will become the biggest wine consumer, and maybe even producer. Within ten years the market has more than doubled.
And with it comes the social events that place wine firmly on the 'to do' list for trendy urbanites, as Rena Zhung explains.
Rena Zhung, wine enthusiast, said, "Now Shanghai has lots of wine tasting events, so there are a lot of opportunities to get to know about wine. I think that's why wine has become so popular in Shanghai."
China has a long history of wine, which dates back more than 4,000 years. But consumption died out in favour of traditional Chinese alcohol. But now, China's wine production is growing rapidly. According to an industry report, China's wine production could overtake Australia in the next three years.
(CNTV August 16, 2011)
