Chinese show discernment, in California

Since 2008, Chinese imports of wine have been growing at a staggering 30% or more annually, as more than 20 million Chinese consumers are drinking more than $1.8 billion worth of wine each year from various countries around the world. Last year, the Chinese bought nearly US $56 million worth of California wine. This may just be a small drop in the bucket of California’s $1.6 billion worth of wine exports, but like every other wine region around the world, California continues to target China as a key market for the future.

Various trade interests have done everything from conducting...