Experts’ opinion on 2009 en primeurs in China: “In an unregulated and uneducated wine market, there is always potential for rogue trading” (May 07, 2010)

2009 vintage fraud attempts have already come to light on the Chinese wine market. The most sought after wines have been offered to potential customers, even though the chatêaux themselves have not yet announced their release prices…. Sam Gleave, wine sales director at Bordeaux Index, has seen his fears confirmed: “We’ve long had concerns that a vintage like 2009 could result in fraudulent futures trading. There’s huge interest in 2009 Bordeaux wine from China. In an unregulated and uneducated market, there is always potential for rogue trading in en primeur. Unfortunately, it seems as if that potential has been realised.”

Vianney Castan, Managing Director of Vins Joseph Castan, isn’t surprised either: “Requests for copies are extremely common in China. Not a week goes by without someone asking me to create a label called “Château Lafut ” or “Château Lafile”. Some Chinese wine importers show a capacity for great opportunism. Someone, who knows someone, whose wine business is related to yours, will find a way to offer his service as an intermediar in return for a commission. It is difficult to identify reliable partners, because a person who today offers to put you in touch with a wine merchant, can tomorrow put you in touch with a pharmaceuticals or meat trader … Everyone represents numerous business interests and specialists who remain specialists in a given sector are few and far between ”

The UK’s Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has issued a series of guidelines for potential investors. Investors would do well to pay close attention to:

– The size and reputation of the wine merchant;

– The availability of guarantees or insurance;

– Checking whether the wine prices are competitive and include delivery;

– Ensuring that invoices and statements clearly establish entitlement to the wine purchased.

WSTA’s chief executive, Jeremy Beadles, said “Bona fide merchants and brokers won’t have any problem proving their credentials, but consumers who ask the right questions will ensure they are not caught out by dubious wine dealers”

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices.  Today, this wine shop in Clark Philippines offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world.  As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years.  Clark Wine Center is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Alsace, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina etc. are well represented in this Clark Wine Shop.

For more information, email Wine@Yats-International.com or visit http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila

Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple:  after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave.  From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City.  From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.