Moët & Chandon faces competition from Chinese rival Changyu, which has seen a growth spurt while Moët’s sales have dipped, db discovers.
Although Moët & Chandon and Changyu are not direct competitors within the same category (sparkling wine), they are both fighting for share within the Asian fine wine market, and while Moët has historically held a bigger slice of the pie in value terms, things might be changing.
The trajectory of Changyu Pioneer Wine Company is rocketing, with the company’s value increasing by a third in just 12 months (2022-2023). The Chinese drinks firm is now valued at £946 million, just shy of the LVMH-owned Moët & Chandon, which is worth £1 billion following a 10% slide in sales this year.
Moët & Chandon’s falling sales saw its Dom Perignon brand plummet from 6th position to 48th in this year’s Power 100 Fine List, just released by global marketplace Liv-ex.
Meanwhile, Changyu has been quietly amassing vineyard space and now owns 20,000ha of land in China compared with Moët & Chandon’s 1,190ha in Champagne.
Founded by Zhang Bishi in 1892, Changyu is thought to be China’s oldest wine producer, with Bishi having imported more than 500,000 vines from Europe and the US to begin the business. It is also China’s largest wine company, and growing.
The Chinese producer’s bread and butter is its Changyu Moser XV red, developed with Austrian winemaker Lenz Moser, which one critic described as “a tannic beast of a wine that hits you round the chops”. The Cabernet/Merlot blend is made from vines grown in Ningxia (Yinchuan province) and sits alongside a white and a Gran Vin in the range. Changyu also produces a Golden Ice Wine.
Von China über Ungarn bis ins Traisental: das war der Bogen einer Präsentation aus dem internationalen Sortiment von Lenz Maria Moser, die auf Initiative des führenden Gastronomie-Großhändlers Transgourmet in der Wiener WineBank in Szene ging.
Liquid assets in the form of fine wine，described by AAWE (American Association of Wine Economists), tend to be less volatile than other markets and can produce a greater return if done right and at scale.
According to Liv-ex, the global marketplace for the wine trade,its fine wine indices grew by 178.3% in the first decade of the 21st , surpassing other alternative investment options, such as stocks, blue-chip art, rare stamps and real estates of UK.
Not Only the Old World Wines
Jean-Marie Cardebat, full professor of Economics at the University of Bordeaux, a member of AAWE,points out that the economic value of collectible wines is the combination of its craftsmanship and relative scarcity, which will be climbing till it reaches its peak .
It is worth noting that terroir affects the taste of wine. Wine from every renowned Chateau and vineyard has its unique style and charm. A true collector will constantly explore and invest a variety of fine wines, not just foucus on Chateau Lafite or DRC, following the investment strategy of "not putting your eggs in the same basket".
In recent years, Chinese wines are becoming more and more popular. Many auction houses and wine experts believe that after more than 130 years of experience, Chinese wine has made great progress and starts to sit at the same table with top wines all over the world. Some of Chinese top wines are expected.
Best Chinese Wine to Collect &Invest
Chateau Tinlot, China's first chateau to produce collectible wines, opened recently. Although it has been 11 years since the foundation of Chateau Tinlot, it has already emerged in the world’s best wines.
With excellent quality, Chateau Tinlot was awarded“Best of show China”
in MUNDUS VINI World Wine Competition in 2021. In 2022 and 2023,it also won FIWA Grand Gold Award for two consecutive years, Of which the cabernet Sauvignon blend received the highest score.
From the perspective of wine economics, Chateau Tinlot is unique and special in its reputation, craftsmanship, and scarcity.
Reputation of Chateau Tinlot
chateau Tinlot, named after Mr. Robert Tinlot , " Pioneer of Modern Wine World"and former Director General of OIV. In 2012,authorized by Mr. Robert Tinlot for free, Changyu started the construction of Mr. Tinlot’s namesake Chateau, striving for making highly collectible wines in China.
In 1985,Mr. Robert Tinlot was elected International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) Director General .
In 1987,Mr. Tinlot first came to Yantai and awarded the title of "International vine and Wine City" to Yantai.
Chateau Tinlot is a great wine created by a century-old Chinese wine enterpreise and the " Pioneer of Modern Wine World".
It is an ultra high-end wine that can remain in optimal condition for at least 25 years. Whether its craftmanship or scarcity, Chateau Tinlot has also achieved a level that most wines cannot reach.
Chateau Tinlot comprises of over 1,000 mus of hillside vineyards,including 36 premium blocks with vines over 30 years old.Having the most vigorous roots, these vines can absorb more microelements, give the wine a much more complex flavor.Grapes are picked and chosen carefully，even in a normal year, only one tenth of the best grapes meet certain criteria for making collectible Estate Wines.
Unsual from Fermentation, Maturing to Bottling
Once harvested ,the grapes are protected with dry ice and placed in fermentation tanks within 30 minutes to minimize juice oxidation and the loss of aroma.Instead of using a maximum of 2 types of yeasts in most wineries, there are 5 different types of yeast used for winemaking in Chateau Tinlot. Three of which are researched and developed independently by Changyu with intellectual property rights, greatly enhancing the flavor and complexity of wine.
30-day long fermentation period,three times longer than traditional method makes wine more complex.
The innovative use of Chinese oak barrels during aging gives the wine more Chinese flavor and fascination .
The black baking varnished bottle can not be penetrated by the light of strong flashlights and protect wine from the harmful effects of light. The bottle mouth is 1 mm narrower than that of standard bottlewhich makes it better sealed.
Nitrogen for wine bottling, corking under negative pressure,both create an oxygen free environment for the wine.49mm extra long natural cork allows the wine aged potential to the greatest extent.
Wine is a poem in the bottle, which records the story of a block in a year, with wind, rain and sunshine. The history, culture and returns on investment attached to a bottle of Tinlot, a wine remaining in optimal condition for at least 25 years, are highly imaginative.
As a highly diversified product, the top wine from China has becoming an essential flavor in the wine collection world. Chateau Tinlot will l become a hot collection, just as Opus one and Screaming Eagle 20 years ago.
En Chine, tout atteint volontiers des proportions extraordinaires. La viticulture ne fait pas exception. L’Empire du Milieu compte actuellement près de 800 000 hectares de vignobles. Pour comparaison: l’Espagne, le pays le plus viticole, atteint 955 000 hectares. De plus en plus de vignerons misent sur des techniques et des méthodes de vinification modernes. Les producteurs chinois doivent toutefois faire appel au savoir-faire étranger pour élaborer de bons vins, et plus encore pour des vins de qualité. Ceux-ci sont obtenus à partir des cépages classiques que sont le cabernet sauvignon, le merlot et le chardonnay.
Le premier vignoble européen à avoir investi en Chine a été le français Château Lafite-Rothschild. Ce célèbre vignoble bordelais, qui produit un premier grand cru classé, a fait le pas dans les années 1970 et n’a longtemps dégagé aucun bénéfice. Depuis, le Long Dai s’est toutefois hissé parmi les meilleurs vins chinois. Le vigneron Lenz Moser, originaire d’Autriche, est également convaincu du grand potentiel et participe au Château Changyu, à Ningxia. Son choix n’est pas dû au hasard: cette région bénéficie d’un climat continental semi-aride, ce qui la préserve des ravageurs et des maladies de la vigne, et permet de se passer de pesticides. «Ce climat chaud et sec nous permet de récolter de petites baies», explique Lenz Moser.
Schiffswracks - versunkene Schiffe als politische Waffe ++ Wein aus China - mit Hilfe aus Österreich ++ Film ab - die Geschichte des Films in China | Gestaltung: Josef Dollinger; Langversion eines Beitrags im Ö1 Mittagsjournal vom 20. Oktober 2023
Wir freuen uns, einige bemerkenswerte Nachrichten aus der Welt der feinen Weine teilen zu können. Die angesehene Weinkritikerin Jancis Robinson hat die Weine von Lenz Mosers Château Changyu Moser XV, insbesondere den “Purple Air Comes from the East”, auf der Financial Times & JancisRobinson.com hochgelobt.
Austrian Lenz Moser set out to prove a point. See also this detailed account of his taste-off. A version of this article is published in the Financial Times. Above, a bottle of Moser's white Chinese Cabernet in front of the bottles tasted blind in London.
It may be popularly believed that wine writers like me are sent Bordeaux first growths all the time but this is very far from the truth. So when, in early July, I opened a box of wine to find a bottle of Ch Lafite 2019 in it it was quite an occasion. Especially since it had been sent not from Bordeaux but from a producer of Chinese wine.
Austrian Lenz Moser has a joint venture in the Chinese province of Ningxia with the biggest Chinese wine company, Changyu, called Chateau Changyu Moser XV, the Roman numerals a reference to the 15 generations of winemaking Mosers since 1610. He wanted me to taste his top Chinese wines against what he saw as the competition, top Cabernets from around the world. So he had put together bottles of four smart red bordeaux – the Lafite plus Figeac 2018, Léoville Las Cases 2017 and Pontet-Canet 2017 – plus the 2019 vintage of Napa Valley’s famous Opus One, to be compared with the first two vintages, 2016 and 2019, of his top Chinese wine and the extremely expensive Cabernets made, respectively, by Lafite and LVMH in China: Long Dai and Ao Yun.
LMM Projects is busy, busy, busy – not least with pitting its wine made at this 'chateau' in China against Ch Lafite.
For 18 years now he has been working with their ‘chateau’ in Ningxia, particularly on wines to export, and he contacted me recently to suggest a tasting of their top wine, Ch Changyu Moser XV, Purple Air Comes from the East, with various top Cabernets. He explained this somewhat cumbersome name to me in an email: ‘this was given to me by a Chinese calligrapher in Qingdao on the occasion of a speech I gave in 2015 – he liked it so much (for our vision of making wine in China and belonging in the company of the world’s finest) that he wanted to give me something and did this piece of art on a poster about two metres wide. It means: all the good stuff comes across the East China Sea and purple is THE noble colour in China too.’
The decline in Dynasty’ performance is evident in off-trade channels as well. Once a major player alongside Changyu and Great Wall as part of the “Big Three” domestic wine producers, Dynasty’ products are now scarcely found in supermarkets, wine stores, or even restaurants.
Meanwhile, its main competitor such as Changyu has successfully expanded its productions into regions like Ningxia since 2013 with Chateau Changyu Moser XV, capitalizing on the growing consumer demand for domestic wines. According to a 2021 IWSR/Vinexpo report, consumption of domestic wines in China is projected to reach US$19.5 billion in 2022, compared to US$16.5 billion in 2021.\
Annually, the financial company Brand Finance evaluates brands from different industries and countries and has rated the top 15 wine brands. For the third year in a row, Moët & Chandon, part of LVMH, held the pole position despite a 10 percent drop in value, which ended at $1.27 billion (about $1.15 billion). . €) is given. A surprising climber is the Changyu brand, which rose from fourth to second place with around 1.2 billion US dollars (approx. 1.09 billion €) and growth of around 33 percent. The American brand »Chandon« just missed second place with only a four percent difference in value.
However, Changyu was able to hold its own as the strongest wine brand, while Moët & Chandon fell to third place. Penfolds secured second place as the largest growing brand in the wine and champagne segment, up 48 percent to $659 million.
On the one hand, brand strength was determined using various key figures, such as investments in marketing. On the other hand, external assessments were used: A total of more than 100,000 participants in 38 countries from 31 sectors were interviewed for the survey.
Strategic cooperation
Changyu, China's oldest producer with a production volume of 100 million bottles of wine and 50 million bottles of brandy, has developed into the market leader in Asia. In 2015, the Austrian winemaker and entrepreneur Lenz Maria Moser got involved as part of a joint venture. Today, the Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines are sold in more than 40 countries. According to Moser, “Approximately 500,000 bottles are produced under his supervision at Changyu-Moser. Of this, 20 percent is exported.« PD
Disclaimer: The text provided has been translated using Google Translate. While we strive to provide accurate translations, there may be errors or discrepancies due to the limitations of automated translation tools. We recommend that users verify the information with original sources or professional translation services for critical or official purposes. We are not responsible for any misunderstandings or misinterpretations due to the translation.
It was not foreseeable that viticulture in the Middle Kingdom would one day gain the importance it has today, when the Chinese diplomat and business magnate Zhang Bishi founded the country's first winery in 1892, introduced European vines and marketed them under the name »Zhang Yu Wine Company« brought the first drops onto the market. He was supported by an Austrian: August Wilhelm Reichsfreiherr von Babo, director of the viticulture school in Klosterneuburg. At that time he laid the foundation for today's "Changyu", with eight wineries in China, the largest and oldest wine producer in the country.
Today, according to OIV data, with around 785,000 hectares of vineyards, China is in third place among the wine-growing countries in the world - in terms of wine production, with just 4.2 million hectoliters, it is only in 12th place. Before the corona pandemic, however, the production volume was significantly higher .
In 2015, the Austrian Lenz Maria Moser joined Changyu. His declared goal: to position »Chateau Changyu Moser XV« as the leading Chinese château on the international market. Moser comes from the fifth generation of the well-known Moser wine family and studied economics and oenology in Klosterneuburg. He began his career in the family business before being hired by Robert Mondavi as General Manager Europe in 1997. From 2005 he worked for a German import company and through this job got to know the wines and makers of Changyu. Moser is now responsible for the development of the wines together with the Chinese winemaker Fan Xi.
The Ningxia cultivation area on the Yellow River (Huanghe) is located in the autonomous province of the Muslim Hui minority, near the Gobi desert. Ningxia was the first officially recognized wine region in China in 2003. The region has an average of 3,000 hours of sunshine a year - Germany has an average of 1,528 - and the continental climate ensures large day-night amplitudes. Here, Moser and Xi mainly produce Bordeaux cuvées with the aim of measuring themselves against the great icons of the category. That's why they confidently present their wines in "benchmark tastings" alongside greats like Opus One or Rothschild-Lafite.
The grapes for the »Helan Mountain Range« line grow at an altitude of up to 1,100 meters in the foothills of the Helan Shan massif, the border between Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. This is where the Blanc de Noir from Cabernet Sauvignon is made. The company Bos Food from Meerbusch takes care of the import to Germany.
Disclaimer: The text provided has been translated using Google Translate. While we strive to provide accurate translations, there may be errors or discrepancies due to the limitations of automated translation tools. We recommend that users verify the information with original sources or professional translation services for critical or official purposes. We are not responsible for any misunderstandings or misinterpretations due to the translation.
New research has revealed the world’s 10 most valuable wine brands, with one Chinese producer hot on the heels of Champagne’s top contender.
So which 10 brands are the biggest contributors to the value of the wine category worldwide?
10. Jacob’s Creek
9. Concha Y Toro
8. Beringer
7. Penfolds
6. Barefoot Wine
5. Dom Pérignon
4. Veuve Clicquot
3. Chandon
2. Changyu
1. Moet & Chandon
Henry Farr, associate director at Brand Finance, said of the findings: “Within the Wine & Champagnes sector, wines have performed better in terms of brand value growth. High-end Champagnes have taken a hit. Difficult growing conditions, reduced availability and price hikes have steered some consumers towards lower-end sparkling wines as an alternative. For those less effected by harsher financial situations, this could be due to not wanting to appear vulgar or ostentatious by indulging in luxury products when others are struggling with the rising costs of living.”
Château Changyu, China’s oldest and largest wine producer, is second only to Moët & Chandon as the world’s most valuable wine brand.
Every year, leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance publishes over 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries, including the top 15 most valuable Champagne & Wine brands.
Unsurprisingly, Moët & Chandon maintained the number one spot for the third consecutive year, valued at $1.3bn (-10%) despite a fall in Champagne brand values. The company owns 1,190ha of vineyards and produces approximately 38m bottles of Champagne a year.
Changyu is a wine brand very much on the up. What it lacks in notoriety, particularly in the western world, it more than makes up for in size and stature in the Asian market. The company has developed more than 20,000ha of vineyards, covering one-quarter of the grape-growing areas in China. Changyu’s total production is estimated to be 100m wine bottles and 50m brandy annually, making it a market leader in not only China but all of Asia.
In 2013, 15th-generation Austrian winemaker Lenz Moser came on board and launched Chateau Changyu Moser XV. Since then, the estate has gone full steam ahead into the international market.
Climbing two positions, Changyu’s brand value soared to $1.2bn in 2022 (+33%).
Commenting on Changyu’s increasingly global appeal, Lenz Maria Moser (pictured), winemaker, Chateau Changyu Moser XV told Harpers: “I can only speak about Changyu Moser XV, the Ningxia Chateau of Changyu – which I have the honour of helping to get to global appeal under our mantra, ‘producing wines belonging in the company of the worlds finest’ – which we can prove in numerous tastings around the world – benchmarking with the best of china and also with great fine wines from the world, for instance, Ornellaia, Opus, One, Chateau Lafite and more.
“We are represented in more than 40 countries around the world with a strong home base in China – the Changyu Moser XV label does circa 500,000 bottles per year under my supervision as the chief winemaker, with an export ratio of 20% this year – hoping to go on par with the Chinese market again in the next three years.”
Changyu is also the world’s strongest Wine & Champagne brand according to Brand Finance’s rating metric. The research takes into consideration marketing investment, stakeholder equity and business performance. Compliant with ISO 20671, Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 100,000 respondents in 38 countries and across 31 sectors. The China-based brand boasts three consecutive years of brand strength growth and was awarded a AAA- rating this year by Brand Finance.
Henry Farr, associate director at Brand Finance said: “Within the Wine & Champagnes sector, wines have performed better in terms of brand value growth. High-end Champagnes have taken a hit. Difficult growing conditions, reduced availability and price hikes have steered some consumers towards lower-end sparkling wines as an alternative. For those less affected by harsher financial situations, this could be due to not wanting to appear vulgar or ostentatious by indulging in luxury products when others are struggling with the rising costs of living.”
Meanwhile, Penfolds is the fastest-growing Wine & Champagne brand, up 48% to $659m. The Australian-based brand is also the category’s second strongest, with a BSI of 81.6 out of 100. Penfold’s brand strength boasts a 19-point increase since last year and has earned the brand a corresponding AAA- rating.
By embracing new technologies and innovation, Penfolds has streamlined its consumer-centric approach. This includes the brand’s launch of its 2022 wine collection which, for the first time, expanded beyond Australian-made wines. The collection included French and Californian wines as part of the brand’s efforts to enhance global brand awareness and market share, resulting in improved brand value and strength. This has also captured Penfolds’ wider sustainability plan, as the collection aimed to alleviate pressures on regions with harsher climates and reduced crop yields, earning it a Sustainability Perceptions Score of 4.59 out of 10, positioning the brand third in the ranking based on this metric.
To see the full Brand Finance Alcoholic Drinks 2023 report click here.
Bibendum’s Asian portfolio is “all quite new” in Craig’s words. It includes one of China’s priciest wines, Ao Yun’s flagship red blend from 2019 (67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cab Franc, 10% Syrah, 6% Petit Verdot; £230). Made by French winemaker, Maxence Dulou, it has been marked highly by critics. With a low yield of 16hl/ha, it was aged in 35% new oak, 35% older oak and 30% Chinese stoneware jars. Herbal and cigar box aromas give way to intensely concentrated black truffle and chocolate notes. Soft, sinewy tannins, fresh acidity and a long finish help to make this an impressive wine. Also included from China are the Ningxia wine region producer, Chateau Changyu- Moser XV’s Purple Air Comes from the East Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 (£142). “Both are selling really well,” Craig revealed.
China is a huge wine country. The best wines can certainly compete with the elite of Europe and at least keep up with them. This was shown by a small, interesting comparison with top Bordeaux crus.
Conclusion: The (expensive and exclusive) wines from Asia are almost on par with the equally expensive French and do not have to hide from the big names. Although two Bordeaux were at the top of the rankings, the best Chinese followed just behind them. The question is whether consumers in this country will pay 200 or 300 francs for a bottle from China. It still needs a lot of persuasion. It's definitely not the quality.
Purple Air Comes from the East 2016, Château Changyu Moser, China: The cru made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has reached its first drinking maturity, but has further reserves for several years. It is clearly recognizable as a New World wine - quite a positive sign. Notes of dark berries and spicy peppermint notes can be found on the nose. The multi-layered wine is strong, has ripe tannins, good acidity and ends with a long finish. 18.5/20 points.
Laurenz Maria Moser is an Austrian winemaker known for his innovative wine projects. His wines are not only of the highest quality, but also unique in taste.
Wein aus dem Reich der Mitte? Das klingt für viele exotisch, für manche fragwürdig. Aber für immer mehr Weintrinkende vorzüglich. Eine Empfehlung.
Cabernet Blanc vom Château Changyu? Ein Château Lafite Rothschild aus der Region Shandong? Riesling (雷司令) aus Ningxia? Chinesischer Wein – ja, das geht. Es muss nicht immer die gute alte Weinwelt sein. Besonders in der Region Ningxia, neben der Wüste Gobi, wächst eine Weinregion heran, die sich mit den etablierten Weingebieten dieser Welt ohne Weiteres messen kann.
Typisch: Château Changyu Moser XV
Dieser Wein hat eine einzigartige Charakteristik: Erstens wegen der roten Trauben, die wie Weisswein verarbeitet werden. Und daher eine blassgelb-kupferne Farbe in den Wein bringen. Zweitens wegen Aromen von Litschi, Pfirsich, Beeren und Zitrus. Trocken ausgebaut, wenig Restzucker, komplex und dennoch leicht, eher säurearm mit gut eingebundenem Alkohol. Ein harmonisches Finish, das nicht nur auf der Zunge, sondern auch im Gedächtnis bleibt.
Eine exklusive Verkostung führt zu einem verblüffenden Ergebnis: In China werden Rotweine gekeltert, die ein paar der besten Franzosen in den Schatten stellen. Auch wenn Europäer das vielleicht nicht gerne hören: Im Reich der Mitte entwickelt sich eine eigenständige Kultur des Weinbaus.
Wie kommt man darauf, in der abgelegenen Wüsten-Provinz Ningxia ein französisches Chateau samt Springbrunnen und Wassergraben zu bauen? Das erklärt uns Lenz M. Moser in dieser Episode - und natürlich welche Weine dort gemacht werden
Langsam aber sicher entwickelt sich China zu einem ernstzunehmenden Weinproduzenten. Grosse Ambitionen hegt das Vorzeigegut Changyu Moser in der Provinz Ningxia. Es setzt auf Luxusprodukte, mit denen die internationale Konkurrenz herausgefordert wird.
Initiant und Teilhaber Lenz Moser aus Österreich ist überzeugt, dass man China bald als Absender von Spitzenweinen wahrnehmen werde. Sein Ultrapremium-Wein «Purple Air Comes from the East», ein reinsortiger Cabernet Sauvignon, macht schon mal den Anfang. Dank der geringen Produktionsmenge von rund 6'000 Flaschen hat er das Zeug zum Kultgewächs.
1892 gründete Chang Bishi den ersten Weinkeller Chinas - und feierte schnell Erfolge. Mit Lenz M. Moser blicken wir in die Geschichte von Chinas ältestem Weingut, das allen Wirren und Kriegen erfolgreich standgehalten hat.
Mitteleuropäische Weinkenner winken bei chinesischen Weinen gerne mal ab, so etwas kommt einem echten Kenner nicht über die Lippen! Dabei täte ihnen ein wenig Experimentierfreude ganz gut: Was vor 20 Jahren noch als begründetes Urteil gelten mochte, ist heute bestenfalls ein überholtes Vorurteil.
In dieser Folge erklärt uns Lenz M. Moser, warum er ausgerechnet in China Wein produziert.
