【英语生活】葡萄酒巨头瞄准中国餐桌

One of the largest beverage companies in the world wants in on China's wine boom.

Constellation Brand—a family of labels that includes Robert Mondavi, Australia's Banrock Station, and the Bordeaux Mouton Cadet—plans to expand its operations in the mainland, The Wall Street Journal's Melissa Korn reports. Chief executive Rob Sands of the New York-based beverage company said he will formally announce a top executive for its Asian business.

Mr. Sands says he sees a sweet spot in the Chinese market in imported table wines—in other words, the cheap everyday drinking stuff sold in supermarkets. That market has grown 20% a year in the five-year period leading to 2010, according to a report by Rabobank.

While Constellation is making its moves, China's wine market continues to develop apace. According to a study by Vinexpo released earlier this year, 85% of the wines consumed in China are made by domestic makers, such as Dynasty Wine Ltd. and Changyu Pioneer Wine Co., making mostly table wines.

Also, Constellation will face competition from other major international wine conglomerates that have their eyes on China, too. Last month, the Australian wine giant Treasury Wine Estates, the recently spun-off business from Foster's Group, hinted as much when its chief executive David Dearie said its premium Penfolds brand is a 'tremendous opportunity' for the company in China. Aside from Penfolds, Treasury owns a large family of wine brands including Greg Norman Estates, Lindeman's and Rosemount Estate.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images一瓶正在往外倒的葡萄酒。
世界最大的葡萄酒公司之一星座集团（Constellation Brand）有意从中国红火的葡萄酒市场中分一杯羹。

据《华尔街日报》记者梅莉莎•科恩（Melissa Korn）报导，总部位于纽约、旗下拥有罗伯特•蒙达维（Robert Mondavi）酒庄、澳大利亚班瑞克酒园（Banrock Station）和木桐嘉棣波尔多（Bordeaux Mouton Cadet）等知名酒庄的星座集团计划向中国大陆扩展业务。星座集团首席执行长鲍博•桑德斯（Rob Sands）说，他将正式宣布亚洲业务最高主管的人选。

桑德斯说，他看到了中国进口佐餐葡萄酒市场存在的一个有利商机。佐餐葡萄酒就是人们可以从超市买到的日常饮用的价格便宜的葡萄酒。据荷兰合作银行（Rabobank）报导，在2010年之前的五年里，这个市场的年增长率为20%。

在星座公司准备行动的同时，中国的葡萄酒市场继续保持着快速发展的势头。国际葡萄酒及烈酒展览会（Vinexpo）今年早些时候发布的一份研究报告称，中国消费的85%的葡萄酒由王朝葡萄酒公司（Dynasty Wine Ltd.）、张裕葡萄酒公司（Changyu Pioneer Wine Co.）等国内厂商酿造。这些公司的产品大多数属于佐餐葡萄酒。

另外，星座集团还要面对虎视中国市场的其他大型国际葡萄酒联合企业的竞争。上个月，澳大利亚葡萄酒巨头Treasury Wine Estates——最近从福斯特集团（Foster’s Group）剥离出去的一家公司——透露了这一消息。该公司的首席执行长大卫•迪尔里（David Dearie）表示，他们的高档品牌奔富（Penfold）是这家公司在中国的“绝佳机会”。除了奔富，Treasury还拥有大白沙诺曼酒庄（Greg Norman Estates）、利达民酒庄（Lindeman’s）和玫瑰酒庄（Rosemount Estate）等众多葡萄酒品牌。