CWS Trading (Shanghai)
Founded in 2006, CWS Trading (Shanghai) is part of France’s ELAN Group and operates across most of China’s tier-one and tier-two cities.
General manager Francisco Henriques said that in the current environment, consumers are gravitating toward lighter, fruit-forward white wines, while interest in domestic Chinese red wines is also rising.
“The market keep on changing, and flexibility to accommodate new requests from customers is even more crucial. Light and fruity whites are now demanded on this special period as also more Chinese reds,” he says.
That said, classic French regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy remain the most popular choices during the Lunar New Year, he added. The key shift, he noted, lies in budget discipline, with consumers increasingly favouring more restrained price ranges.
Sparkling World
As one of China’s leading sparkling wine importers, and an agent for several Italian red wine brands, Sparkling World has felt the shift toward everyday consumption particularly strongly during the Lunar New Year season.
Founder Yu Hongjie said sparkling wine sales rose year on year during the 2026 peak season, while red wine sales declined by about 6%. “Sparkling wine is no longer just a summer drink,” he said. “Sales are performing well in both winter and summer.” He added that data from instant-delivery platform Waima also pointed to strong winter demand for dry white wines.
Consumption is concentrated among urban white-collar consumers under the age of 39, with drinking occasions centred on family gatherings and small get-togethers with friends—scenarios that become more frequent in the run-up to the Lunar New Year.
Yu also observed that consumers buying lower-priced sparkling wines tend to be less brand-sensitive and focus more on taste, while buyers of mid- to high-end red wines show a clear preference for leading brands.
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