The Wine Chronicle 《品醇集》

WINE AUSTRALIA CALLED OFF 2020 CHINA ROADSHOW

NEWS 29-6-2020

Wine Australia has cancelled its 2020 China roadshow amid trade tension and travel restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic, the next event will be held in May 2021.

FOCUS 25-6-2020

在意大利南部旅遊點龐貝古城內，散落著十來個實驗葡萄種植區，所栽種的都是兩千年前維蘇威火山爆發時的古老品種。負責種植的酒莊，採用這些活化古老品種，釀製出一款名為Villa dei Misteri「神秘別苑」的干紅，頗具收藏價值。

E-COMMERCE GIANTS AMAZON AND ALIBABA ENTER INDIA’S ALCOHOL DELIVERY MARKET

NEWS 22-6-2020

Global e-commerce giants Amazon and Alibaba have won approval to enter India’s alcohol delivery market, following the footsteps of local platforms Swiggy and Zomato.

ON-PREMISE DINING IS BACK BUT PUBS REMAIN SHUT AS SINGAPORE REOPENS TODAY

NEWS 19-6-2020

Singaporeans are allowed to dine in restaurants and sip coffee in cafes today as COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed, but bars and nightclubs remain closed.

CHARM OFFENSIVE: WINE AUSTRALIA CEO TALKED OF DEEP FRIENDSHIP WITH CHINESE CUSTOMERS

NEWS 17-6-2020

CEO of Wine Australia, Andreas Clark, said Australian wine producers have deep-rooted friendship with Chinese customers in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.

CAMBODIA LIQUOR POISONING: AT LEAST SIX DIED AND 32 HOSPITALISED

NEWS 16-6-2020

At least six local people had died and 32 others hospitalised after drinking tainted herbal rice liquor in northwestern Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province.

LOTTE DUTY FREE OFFERS 7% ONLINE DISCOUNT TO MARK START OF OPERATION IN S’PORE AIRPORT

NEWS 15-6-2020

To celebrate the start of its operations in Changi, the S Korean duty free operator is offering discounts on iShopChangi.com from 12 to 30 June.

BARS & PUBS TO MISS OUT ON THAILAND’S REOPENING NEXT MONDAY

NEWS 12-6-2020

Thailand decided today to lift curfew restrictions from next Monday, but pubs and bars will remain shut. The Thai beverage trade pleaded for reopening.

PRESIDENT XI’S NINGXIA WINERY VISIT BOOSTS MORALE OF CHINESE WINE PRODUCERS

NEWS 10-6-2020

News of Xi’s visit to a Ningxia winery yesterday was widely circulated in the Chinese wine trade, helping boost morale of the hard hit Chinese wine-making industry.

WINE-SEARCHER: ASIAN CONSUMERS REMAINED LOYAL TO TOP BORDEAUX WINES DURING PANDEMIC

NEWS 9-6-2020

Top Bordeaux wines remained the most searched wines by Asian consumers in April 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to wine-searcher.com.

ALIBABA TO HELP TAKE 2020 CHENGDU FOOD & DRINKS SHOW ONLINE IN JULY

NEWS 8-6-2020

You don’t have to travel to attend this year’s Chengdu show, it is announced today that the show will take place online from 28 to 30 July with the help from tech giant Alibaba.

RARE BRIGHT SPOT: VINIPORTUGAL’S EXPORTS GREW 4.4% IN 1ST QTR WITH S. KOREA UP 44.2%

NEWS 5-6-2020

It's not all doom and gloom, Portugal's wine exports increased 4.4% by volume in the first quarter of 2020 with exports to S. Korea up 44.2% amid COVID-19 crisis.

FOCUS 3-6-2020

最先公布2019年期酒售價的波爾多酒莊，是左岸的Chateau Pontet Canet，每瓶售58歐元，較2018年份的84歐元，下調了31%。酒莊負責人表示，開賣當天不需三個小時就全部售清，不會再有第二批出售。

JAPAN’S ASAHI NOW OWNS AUSSIE RIGHTS TO AB INBEV BRANDS LIKE BUDWEISER & CORONA

NEWS 2-6-2020

The Asahi Group has acquired Australia’s Carlton & United Breweries from AB InBev for USD10.7b, the deal includes Australian rights to beer brands like Budweiser and Corona.

STUDY: SOUTH KOREAN DRINKERS CONSUME MOST SHOTS OF LIQUOR IN THE WORLD

NEWS 1-6-2020

The average person of drinking age in South Korea consumes 13.7 shots of liquor per week, more than doubled that of Russia, according a study conducted by Euromonitor.

WI SURVEY: 57% CHINESE WINE LOVERS HAD WEEKLY ONLINE DRINK PARTIES DURING LOCKDOWN

NEWS 29-5-2020

Wine Intelligence said China's wine market has emerged unscathed and that 57% wine lovers had toasted with friends online at least once a week during lockdown.

INDIA'S FOOD DELIVERY UNICORNS START DELIVERING ALCOHOL

NEWS 27-5-2020

India’s leading food delivery unicorns Zomato and Swiggy have started delivery of alcohol in the states of Jharkhand and Odisha and are planning further expansion.

A TOKYO BREWER HELPS ITS PEERS DISTIL BEERS TO REDUCE LOSS

NEWS 26-5-2020

Dubbed "Save Beer Spirits", the free service is launched by Kiuchi Brewery to help craft beer producers and retailers to weather the coronavirus storm.

CHAIRMAN OF CHANGYU WINERY CALLS ON BEIJING TO CUT TAX ON DOMESTIC WINES

NEWS 25-5-2020

Chairman of Changyu Pioneer, Zhou Hongjiang, told National People's Congress delegates the difficulties of his industry and calls on Beijing to cut taxes.

FOCUS 22-5-2020

法國釀酒師Michel Rolland，是釀酒界響噹噹的人物，他為全球200多個葡萄酒生產商提供釀酒技術顧問服務，是飛行釀酒師鼻祖。不過，近日他宣布將淡出自己一手創立的顧問公司，標緻著他推廣的釀酒風格或落幕。

CUSTOMS DATA: NORTH KOREA IMPORTED USD30M ALCOHOL FROM CHINA IN 2019

NEWS 20-5-2020

Against the odds of international sanctions, North Korea imported some USD30 million worth of beer, spirits and wine from China last year, according to Chinese Customs' data.

SURVEY: ABOUT 50% CHINESE CONSUMERS STILL NOT CONFIDENT TO EAT & DRINK OUT

NEWS 19-5-2020

About half of Chinese consumers haven't visited restaurants and bars after reopening citing virus risks, according to a survey conducted by hospitality consultancy CGA.

SINGAPORE HAS THE BEST BARS IN ASIA, ACCORDING TO ASIA’S BEST BARS AWARDS

NEWS 18-5-2020

Singapore is the biggest winner in the 2020 Asia’s 50 Best Bars Awards announced last week, the city has 11 bars on the list with Jigger & Pony on No 1 spot.

TRAVEL RETAILER DFS OFFERS ONLINE FLASH DEALS TO MARK END OF 35 YRS IN S’PORE AIRPORT

NEWS 15-5-2020

Global duty-free retailer DFS is offering up to 70% discounts on its online store iShopChangiWines.com to mark the end of its concession in Changi Airport.

COVID UPDATE: INDIA STARTS ALCOHOL HOME DELIVERY, AUSSIE STATES TO REOPEN EATERIES & BARS

NEWS 13-5-2020

Four Indian states have allowed home delivery of alcohol, others to follow. Five Australian states will reopen eateries and bars on Friday.

JAPAN GOV’T ISSUED TEMP LICENCES TO ON-TRADE TO SELL TAKEAWAY ALCOHOL

NEWS 12-5-2020

More than 11,400 bars and restaurants in Japan have applied for a temporary licence which allows on-trade to sell takeaway alcohol, according to Nikkei Asian Review.

SEOUL SHUTS BARS AND CLUBS DAYS AFTER REOPENING DUE TO VIRUS CLUSTER

NEWS 11-5-2020

Just days after reopening, South Korean capital Seoul’s more than 2,100 bars have to shut again due to a cluster of virus cases involving at least 86 people.

FOCUS 8-5-2020

44年前將加州葡萄酒推上優質酒殿堂的巴黎評審會，今年10月將會在加州重演，葡萄酒愛好者有機會跟當年的風雲人物同桌當上品酒評判，入場券高達5000美元，不當評判也可以，列席入場券2000美元。

COVID UPDATE: HK TO REOPEN BARS, INDIA & THAILAND RESUMED ALCOHOL SALE

NEWS 6-5-2020

Normalcy started to return to Asian wine and spirits markets with on-trade and off-trade allowed to gradually reopen.

WINE-SEARCHER: THIS AFFORDABLE S. AFRICAN WINE IS MOST SEARCHED BY N. KOREANS

NEWS 5-5-2020

Wine-searcher.com's data showed that a S. African everyday wine is most searched by N. Koreans while French fine wines and Scotch whiskies also featured high.

KWEICHOW MOUTAI REPLACED COCA-COLA TO BECOME WORLD’S MOST VALUABLE DRINKS COMPANY

NEWS 4-5-2020

China’s leading baijiu brand Kweichow Moutai defied gravity with market capitalisation surged to USD226b topping Coca-Cola which is worth about USD200b.

GLOBAL & LOCAL DRINKS GIANTS URGED INDIA TO ALLOW ONLINE ALCOHOL SALE

NEWS 1-5-2020

Global and local drinks businesses in India have urged the authorities to allow online sale of alcohol and suggested launching a government portal to facilitate deliveries.