White Wine Finds Its Place in China, From Seafood Stalls to Wine Bars

At seafood stalls along China’s eastern coast and neighborhood wine bars in Shanghai and Suzhou, white wine is gaining ground in a market long associated with reds.

In parts of coastal Zhejiang province, wine merchants who talked to us report that whites now account for roughly half of sales, up from 20% to 30% previously. At one Suzhou bistro, their share reaches 80%, including sparkling whites.

Interviews with importers, distributors and wine bar operators suggest the shift is being driven by more casual drinking occasions: seafood dinners, late-night meals and gatherings among friends. Fresh, approachable wines are finding an audience beyond the formal banquets and business entertaining that have traditionally supported Chinese wine sales.

The change remains uneven. These accounts reflect particular businesses and channels rather than a nationwide sales breakdown, and red wine still dominates formal entertaining. But they point to opportunities for producers selling whites suited to everyday drinking from affordable Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling to premium Australian Chardonnay, Semillon and South African Chenin Blanc.

White Wine With Seafood

Shen Yi, a wine marketing consultant in Zhejiang, said whites have gradually reached an even split with reds in some coastal markets, compared with a previous share of 20% to 30%.

“The change is happening mainly in coastal cities such as Ningbo, Wenzhou and Taizhou,” he told Vino Joy News.

The shift is particularly apparent among distributors handling group purchases, with the wines ultimately consumed at restaurants and late-night food stalls.

“People along the Zhejiang coast have a tradition of eating seafood,” Shen said. “More consumers are replacing beer with white wine to accompany those meals, typically choosing bottles retailing for around RMB50 (US$7.5).”

At that price, white wine is becoming an accessible accompaniment to a meal. Hot summer weather has provided a further boost, he added.

KAKA, a Wenzhou-based wine importer who also operates a Jiuxiaoer drinks-delivery franchise, has seen similar growth. Although reds still account for most of the company’s wine business, sales of the affordable whites it has promoted over the past two years have risen by approximately 150% to 200%.

Some livestream sellers – hosts who sell directly to viewers during online broadcasts – now buy equal quantities of red and white wine, KAKA said.

Pairing white wine with seafood is not new to Wenzhou. But as interest in whites grows, more consumers are choosing them for these meals.

A Shift Beyond Summer

At wine bars in Shanghai and neighboring Jiangsu province, demand for white is becoming less seasonal.

William Zhu, who runs the popular wine bistro Forage in Shanghai, said whites used to lead in summer before giving way to reds in winter. This year, whites have matched reds in colder weather and far outsold them during summer.

At YesiVino Bistro in Suzhou, a city west of Shanghai, whites consistently account for about 80% of wine sales, according to co-founder Gu Yuping. That figure includes sparkling whites.

This was echoed by Wang Shaolian, deputy general manager and business director at Shenzhen-based wine importer King’s Wine. He shared feedback from several Shanghai on-premise clients who said whites now account for nearly half of their annual wine sales by volume. At specialist wine retailer and bar Pudao in Shanghai, the share reaches 70%. 

Both operators link demand to the relaxed occasions their venues serve and to their customer base.

Gu said women make up a relatively large share of white wine drinkers at his bistro. Customers gravitate toward whites with a hint of sweetness, as well as bottles with distinctive labels and a strong visual identity.

At Forage, Zhu said women are the main buyers of white wine. The bar’s high proportion of female customers also supports sales of sparkling and orange wines.

“Some consumers find red wine heavier and white wine more approachable,” Zhu said. “We host a lot of gatherings among friends, and people tend to choose wines that are easy to enjoy.”

Off-dry Riesling, he added, is particularly appealing to customers beginning to explore wine.

Looking Beyond Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and German Riesling remain prominent in China’s white wine market. Imports from New Zealand offer one indication of the momentum.

China imported 7.81 million liters of New Zealand wine in the first nine months of 2026, up 92.7% from a year earlier. Import value rose 23.9% to US$41.7 million. White wines account for about 80% of New Zealand wine exports to China today, according to New Zealand Winegrowers. 

They follow two consecutive years of growth in both volume and value, suggesting continued demand for replenishment and greater participation in the category.

Importers and wine bar operators are also finding customers for whites from other origins.

Hong Boyong, CEO of Shanghai-based importer Pran Cellar, said Hunter Valley Semillon has attracted more attention this year, while demand for premium Australian Chardonnay has grown strongly.

“People have been asking specifically for Hunter Valley Semillon,” Hong said. “Growth in premium Australian Chardonnay has also been rapid. As long as it’s a good-quality Chardonnay, there are customers actively looking for it.”

Some of that interest comes from Burgundy drinkers exploring alternatives, he said.

“People who drink Burgundy and then try quality Australian Chardonnay find that it offers excellent value, as well as something fresh and interesting.”

Pran Cellar, which has operating centers in Shanghai and Guangzhou, focuses on Australian and South African wines, alongside smaller selections from France, New Zealand and other countries.

Hong estimates that whites account for 40% to 50% of the company’s on-premise wine sales across Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, although it has not compiled a precise breakdown.

Gu has also been exploring premium Chardonnay from Western Australia and promoting it at YesiVino Bistro.

“Burgundy has become too expensive, while the removal of import tariffs on Australian wine gives it a price advantage,” he said.

South African Chenin Blanc has been another standout for Pran Wines this year. Hong said the category combines value with a broad price range, from bottles costing a few dozen yuan to those selling for several hundred.

For merchants, it offers another attraction: healthier margins than wines from origins where intense competition has driven prices steadily lower.

The Limits of the Shift

The picture is different in business entertaining, where white wine has yet to make comparable inroads.

Dai Pengxuan, general manager of Hangzhou Zhuoyuan International Trade Co., Ltd., said whites have gained share, but remain well below half of wine sales in that channel.

His assessment also highlights a distinction between a growing share of sales and growth in the wine market itself.

“Business occasions are different now,” Dai said. “In the past, people would often bring a few bottles of wine to demonstrate their taste. Today, whether they bring wine at all matters much less. Wine sales are shrinking.”

As economic pressure reduces business banquets, buyers are spending more pragmatically, he said. They tend to favor products with established recognition and clear demand – often premium wines or major brands. Few whites command an equivalent position in that setting.

For now, Dai sees restaurants and wine bars with specialist wine knowledge as more promising outlets for white wine.

KAKA draws a similar distinction in Wenzhou. At casual seafood stalls, customers readily order beer or wine. At formal dinners and wedding banquets, red wine remains the default.

White wine is gaining a place in everyday drinking. Winning the banquet table will take longer.