For years, traditional Chinese spirit has been a must on many dinner tables in China. But now Chinese drinkers have more choices, as the grain alcohol has met with competition from overseas. Yuan Xiaoyuan takes a closer look at the rowing interest in tasting and collecting French wines.

Decades ago, wine from overseas was a luxury for most Chinese people, but now it has become more mainstream.

In many cities like Shanghai, imported wine is easily found at most supermarkets, and many of them are in growing demand, particularly French wines.

Some customers seem professional in judging the quality, even though they are not wine connoisseurs.

A customer said, "Sometimes when you turn it upside down there are a lot of bubbles. Good wines don't have bubbles."

French wine is becoming more popular than ever in China. Statistics show the industry grew by a spectacular 145 percent in 2007 alone, pushing China to the 11th largest market by value for French wines and spirits.

French wine merchants are optimistic about the future of the booming market. But what pleases them even more is the growing interest in wine culture.

Jean Philippe Soulet, store manager, said, "When I first arrived in China in 1999, I was selling wine to my Chinese clients. I was always a bit frustrated, because I knew that they would add soda in the red wine. Today the situation is completely different. Here our best clients are the Chinese who are very well-educated in wine culture, and know the product well."

People's consumption of wine is in line with their growing income and improving lifestyle. And the Chinese government has also promoted the industry since the 1990s in an attempt to decrease the consumption of traditional white wine, which is higher in alcohol.

As the demand for expensive wines rises, wine companies are looking for ways to capture this new market. Wine clubs have opened in traditional Shanghai residential houses, blending the western wine culture with the local Chinese.

Many Chinese buy wines not only for drinking, but also for an investment.

Bao Wei, wine cllector, said, "From my understanding wine is a healthy beverage. Also you can invest in it because it can rise in value. It's also a cultural challenge, so I'm interested in it."

In traditional Chinese restaurants, wine sales are also climbing. It's unknown whether wines from overseas will take the place of traditional Chinese spirit, but right now they are mixing well into Chinese culture.