INSEAD/ CEO view: Judy Leissner, CEO of Grace Vineyard

For the expats who have been experiencing China for a few years, the prime problem for our nightlife is to find decent wine at affordable price. You can always go to the imported wines from France (my native country), Australia, South Africa, Chili, the US but when you want to buy some local wine, you are stuck with the GreatWall, Dinasty, etc... not bad but not really a good experience for the taste.

INSEAD Singapore, recently invited in a forum Judy Leissner, CEO and President of Grace Vineyard.
A recent article in the Financial Times spoke of Grace’s Chairman’s Reserve as ‘the finest wine so far made in the country that is already the world’s sixth most important grower of grapevines.’

Download MP4 video at INSEAD website

Comments

[chriswaugh_bj]

I had one of Grace Vineyards' wines a couple of weeks back, and I have to say, I was impressed. It didn't have that thick feeling in the background that most Chinese wines have. I found it to be pretty similar to Australian wines: You could taste it was good quality, it went down well, but still a bit lacking in the flavour. Still, good stuff, and I'd happily recommend it.

And I definitely prefer beer to wine... But good wine is good wine.

[China and I]

Hi Chris,

I favor....both but in small quantity! Grace Vineyard is a promising Chinese wine. Let's see what they do over the next 10-15 years. The difference they have compared to Dragon Seal or Dynasty is they use only Chinese grapes while the above mentioned brands mixed Hebei grapes with imported ones mainly from Europe.
Let's have a drink one of these days when I come back from France and the Middle East! Just hope the French strikers will let me come back! Cross the fingers!

[chriswaugh_bj]

Yeah, I'm up for a drink or two when you get back. Good luck with the strikers!

[China and I]

Only to think about it, gives me headache! We have currently on strike: the public railway company, th public gas company, the lawyers, the university students, the judges, the public electricity company, Air France was on strike last month but plans another one later in November, Paris subway company is on strike and in some provinces the postal service. Welcome to France!