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32 WINES&VINES June 2015 Viewpoint n DONG LI Which Wines Will China Be Drinking in 10 Years? T here is a saying that suggests, "You can't sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo." Unfortunately, many wine importers find them- selves in similar situations in China's wine market, where there is no historical culture of wine consumption over thou- sands of years, and 70% of the Chinese population has mini- mal or no wine knowledge. Most attempts to decode China's wine market focus on socioeconomic factors such as GDP and disposable income, given that "price and label" are still the most predominant purchasing triggers. Yet the evolution from "price and label" to "quality and taste" is happening, accelerated by many factors including thriving wine education institutes and the Chinese government's anti-corruption movement. A crystal ball that can forecast which California wine is going to win over the Chinese wine market during the next 10 years does exist: It is Chinese wine lover's palate. One of the best ways to understand the Chinese consumer's palate is through the country's varied cuisines. Eight regional cuisines have been recognized: Lu (Shandong), Chuan (Sich- uan), Hui (Anhui), Yue (Guangdong), Min (Fujian), Xiang (Hunan), Su (Jiangsu) and Zhe (Zhejiang). These styles differ from one another due to factors such as available resources, climate, geography, history, cook- ing techniques and lifestyles. With billions of people from the countryside of China moving to the cities, and western cuisines gaining popularity, the fate of California wines in the Chinese market will largely depend on understanding the Chinese wine lover's palate and its evolution over time. Dong Li is a senior editor and columnist for Taste Spirit in America. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and has completed advanced training from the International Sommelier Guild. CUISINE BY REGION Lu (Shandong) cuisine Shandong cuisine is characterized by its emphasis on aroma, freshness, crispness and tenderness. This is the top region for alcohol consumption in China, so a rich-flavored, full-bodied, tannic Napa Valley Cabernet should be able to gain some trac- tion in this area. Chuan (Sichuan) cuisine Arguably the most well-known Chinese cuisine in the world, Sichuan (Szechuan) cuisine is in fact a product of globalization. Peppercorns that were brought to China from the Americas in the 18th cen- tury, largely determined Sichuan cuisine's distinctively spicy taste. Both off-dry white wines (Chenin Blancs and Rieslings) or peppery reds such as Zinfandel could find a market here, depending on whether peo- ple like to offset or intensify the heat on the palate. Yue (Guangdong) cuisine The Cantonese are well known for consuming almost anything that moves. This versatile attitude toward food makes Guangdong cuisine one of the easiest Chinese cuisines to pair with wine. Riesling, with its broad spectrum of styles from bone dry to super sweet, could be a good match for many Guangdong dishes.