It seems shipping wines to China has just come a hot topic to talk about in American wine industry. There have been reports about wines of Idaho, Washington and Oregon showing great interest of exporting more state wines to HK and mainland China.

According to yesterdays’ American news, a well-known Missouri winery - Mount Pleasant, one of Missouri’s oldest and largest wineries - is for the first time exporting to China.

The winery recently sent their 900 cases of Vidal Chardonnay, Pink Catawba, Claret, Villagio, Rhineland, Vintage Port and Norton. That’s not a small amount, especially when it is compared to Oregon’s 1,355 cases of last year’s export to Hong Kong. The shipment is valued at $190,000.

Jinxing International Company Ltd. is the Chinese-side importer. The wines are being shipped to the port city of Shenzhen. From there, the bottles will be sent to stores and restaurants in cities throughout China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.

Chuck Dressel, president of Mount Pleasant, who has presented wines at the 2010 SIAL show in Shanghai in May, said “The contacts I made in China loved the Norton grape. They were impressed by how it was uniquely American and, of course, its bold and rich flavors of berries and oak.” (SIAL China is the largest food, beverage and hospitality show in Mainland China.)

Chuck Dressel, president of Mount Pleasant

According to their information, Norton is the official grape of the State of Missouri; it is grown largely in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic States. Missouri’s wine industry was founded in the early to mid-1800s by German immigrants. Missouri’s climate, with its long, hot summers, good sun exposure and thin, rocky Ozarks soil, is ideal for growing grapes. Missouri’s long history in the wine industry lead to Augusta, Mo. being name the first federally designated American Viticultural Area (AVA). Mount Pleasant is the oldest winery in the Augusta AVA.

Mount Pleasant has two more shipments to China planned for the near future. Each of these shipments is valued at approximately $225,000 and scheduled to be transported in 2010. The winery hopes to double its business with China in 2011.

“This is only the beginning of a very exciting relationship,” said Dressel. “We are thrilled to bring Missouri wines to the international community.”

Mount Pleasant Winery, founded in 1859, is located a short distance from St. Louis in Augusta, Missouri, the first government-appointed wine-growing district in the United States. The pioneer in sustainable viticulture for the Missouri wine industry, Mount Pleasant grows 16 grape varieties on 85 acres and its original limestone cellars are still used to age estate-bottled wines and international award-winning Augusta Ports.

Source: Vocus

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