中国人对波尔多葡萄酒的热情

Bordeaux is a name associated with good quality wines. This reputation is so well known in China that last year, the country became the biggest importer of French wines.

CCTV reporter in France, Constantino de Miguel explores this Chinese passion for Bordeaux that goes beyond wines, actually it spans from cuisine to tourism.

Ann is a Chinese expert in Bordeaux wines.

She leads us to Sauternes to visit the chateau Grand Guiraud, maker a of a sweet white wine ranked as Premier Cru in the prestigious Bordeaux Official Classification of 1855.

From the 30,000 bottles produced here, 30 % go to China. The Asian country has become the most important market for Bordeaux wines, as consumption soared by 110 % last year, so no wonder that this is closest to paradise for Chinese wine lovers.

Sommelier, Yao Hao, said, There is a remarkable elegance in this wine. It has a complex flavour of well-known Chinese spices and Asian flowers.

Ann Truchasson said, Personally what I like from this wine is the delicate taste balance mixing acidity and freshness with a kind of loving sweetness »

Sommelier Andy Shan said, I’m going to prepare chicken Gon Bao, Mandarin style »

And how about matching the rich Chinese cuisine with Bordeaux wines? Well according to the Shen brothers, owners of a prestigious restarant, even spicy Sechuan dishes like chicken Gon Bao can marry a Bordeaux wine.

Mr Tommy Shan is a master in the challenging art of pairing wines with Chinese recipes.

Tommy Shan, “Au Bonheur Du Palais” restaurant, said, I think the freshness and the acidity of this Sauternes it helps reduce the spicy taste from the strong peppers

This Pomerol red wine from 1987 has soft tannins therefore it can easily blend with a beef dish.

The vinyards and chateaux in this corner of South West France have always been a tourist destination for over a century. What is new now is a surge in oenology trips accross the Bordeaux region from Chinese lovers like this group. Tourism from Asia to the Bordeaux region has jumped by 40 percent in 2011.

Chinese wine tourist said, Bordeaux wine is very, very delicious. It has great “terroir”, it’s not too sweet, it has a lot of complex flavours so it’s very seductive, very elegant so we love it

China overtook last year the UK and Germany as main export destination for Bordeaux wines. Not surprising, considering that Chinese people drink more and better wine than ever before. This is good news for French producers here in Sauternes, who are increasingly producing for the insatiable Asian market, compensating the sharp fall in wine demand from crisis-hit Europe.