DBR Lafite’s two prestigious Chinese wines, Long Dai and Hu Yue from its Shandong-based Domaine de Long Dai, will be distributed in Hong Kong and Macau and selected Asian markets through Omtis Fine Wines, the two companies have announced.
This marks the first time that its Hu Yue, the second wine from Domaine de Long Dai, will be launched outside of mainland China.
Long Dai was officially unveiled in 2019 with its inaugural 2017 vintage, and the second wine Hu Yue was subsequently launched in 2020 with 2018 vintage.
Speaking of the partnership, Guillaume Deglise, international director for DBR Lafite, said the French wine group and Omtis shared a long-term vision and philosophy.
“Long Dai’s team in Shandong and the DBR Lafite team in Bordeaux are delighted to count Omtis as a new partner to develop the story of our wines on key Asian markets outside Mainland China,” commented Deglise. He continued, “We are just at the beginning of Long Dai’s story and look forward to a long-lasting relationship as partners.”
With more than 100 years of experience in delivering luxury products across Asia, Omtis is one of the most reputable family-owned wine merchants in Hong Kong offering services from local distribution, storage, sourcing, investment to export.
“We are honoured to continue our longstanding and fruitful partnership with DBR (Lafite) with their new ‘story’ in China. This demonstrates, not only our commitment to our heritage and roots in China, but also our eagerness and dedication to bring high-end wines to our customers across Asia,” says Philippe Bera, CEO of Omtis Fine Wines Hong Kong.
Story of Long Dai and Hu Yue
After gaining success and reputation in China from exporting its grand vin Château Lafite Rothschild to its more accessible Légende and Saga, Lafite launched its first Chinese wine Long Dai, which is produced in Domaine de Long Dai in Penglai from China’s coastal Shandong province.
The inaugural 2017 vintage was widely anticipated and released only in 2019, 10 years after DBR Lafite purchased a 400 ha land in Penglai of Shandong.
At that time, Long Dai was distributed in China exclusively by Pernod Ricard China from 2019 via a long-term partnership.
Soon after the debut of Long Dai, DBR Lafite revealed its second Chinese wine Hu Yue, also a Bordeaux blend.
The inaugural 2018 vintage was only sold in winery clubs, at the estate or via the winery’s WeChat account at that time.
“Hu” from its name refers to a jade tablet, an important tool used by farmers in ancient times when praying for a good harvest. The character also recalls the symbol for the tiger, the second most sacred animal in China. “Yue” represents all five sacred mountains of China with linkage back to the sacred Mount Dai referenced in the name of the estate.
According to the estate, the 2019 vintage was proof of its precision and understanding of the terroir as it faced a challenging year due to the lack of water in summer, “Our team studied the soils in order to develop the right protocols,” Estate manager Charles Treutenaere said. “The 2019 is a perfect example of a wine that expresses all the potential of its terroir and of the climate of this year, a subtle surprise.”
Interestingly, both Long Dai and Hu Yue have included Marselan, a crossing of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, in their blend. The grape was deemed by Chinese winemakers as “China’s future signature grape“.
According to the winery, the 2019 vintage of Long Dai is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Marselan.
Hu Yue 2019 is composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Marselan, 15% Syrah and 11% Cabernet Franc.
According to Omtis, Long Dai will be available in Hong Kong in early June 2022, while Hu Yue will be available at later dates this summer.
The wines will also be available in selected private members clubs, 5-star hotels and restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau.
