Joe Tsai, chairman and co-founder of Alibaba Group, has reportedly purchased vineyard plots in Burgundy’s prestigious Gevrey-Chambertin, located in the renowned Côte de Nuits wine region.
According to Bloomberg, Tsai joined a consortium that acquired parcels of vineyards in several celebrated Burgundy appellations, including Charmes-Chambertin, Mazoyères-Chambertin, and Ruchottes-Chambertin.
One notable member of the consortium, Christopher Roumier of renowned Domaine Georges Roumier, confirmed the purchase to Bloomberg. However, the exact price paid for the vineyards remains undisclosed.
Tsai, an avid wine enthusiast, is not the first Alibaba executive to take an interest in this coveted wine region. Jack Ma, another Alibaba co-founder, once set his sights on Clos de Tart but was ultimately outbid by luxury group Kering’s CEO François Pinault, who acquired the estate in 2017 for a reported €220 million. Ma, meanwhile, owns several châteaux in Bordeaux, including Château de Sours, Château Guerry, and Château Perenne.
Born in Taiwan, Tsai has an estimated net worth of US$6.9 billion, largely derived from his 1.4% stake in Alibaba, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His passion for wine extends beyond investment, as Tsai was one of the producers of the 2019 documentary L’Ame du Vin (The Soul of Wine), which explores the vineyards in Burgundy, including the region where he has now invested.
Tsai’s move into Burgundy follows a growing trend of high-profile billionaires investing in the region, joining the ranks of LVMH founder Bernard Arnault, and influential families such as Bouygues, Dassault, Perrodo, Pinault, and Rothschild, whose wine estates have become part of their expanding empires.
In addition to his wine-related ventures, Tsai was among the business leaders invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to a lunch at the Élysée Palace just before the Paris Olympics in July.
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