ASC Fine Wines has become the exclusive wine partner of the 2026 Shanghai JZ Festival, the city’s flagship Jazz event, expanding its push to reach consumers through music and cultural events as China’s wine market struggles to regain momentum.
The partnership extends the importer’s push into cultural and sporting events at a time when China’s wine industry remains cautious about promotional spending. By reaching consumers beyond traditional wine tastings and trade exhibitions, ASC is seeking new settings in which people can discover and enjoy its wines.
Running from October 16 to November 1 in Shanghai’s Qiantan CBD area, the 17-day festival features musicians from 29 countries, with 146 performances and related activities across 13 venues.
In the festival’s JZ pop-up area, ASC has created a dedicated space for tastings, brand displays and interactive activities. Visitors can buy wines by the glass, mulled wine and wine slushies, with Los Vascos, Clarendelle and Robert Mondavi Winery among the brands on show.
Monica Xu St. Pierre, ASC’s lead director, said the collaboration reflects a belief that the setting in which people drink wine is part of its appeal.
“When you pour a glass of wine at a jazz festival, you are not simply selling a drink,” she said. “You are offering a moment. The music, the company, the light, the taste – it all folds into one memory. Wine and jazz are both experiences, both arts, and both, at their best, are shared.”
Yuqing Ren, founder and CEO of JZ Music and founder of the Shanghai JZ Festival, welcomed the partnership.
“Jazz and wine are both about savouring the moment – they reward attention, and they are best enjoyed together,” Ren said. “We are delighted to have ASC on board as our exclusive wine partner. Their presence will add a new dimension to the festival experience, and we look forward to welcoming audiences to share in it.”
A Broader Push to Reach Consumers
The festival partnership is part of a wider promotional program spanning mainland China and Hong Kong since the St. Pierre family bought back ASC from Suntory in 2025.
Founded by the family in 1996, ASC imports and distributes wine across mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. It exclusively represents more than 100 international wineries and carries over 1,200 wines. Since returning to family ownership, it has signed partnerships with brands including Jacob’s Creek and Los Vascos.
Its recent activities have combined traditional wine showcases with events aimed at broader audiences.
On October 15, ASC hosted its 2026 World Wine Tour in Hong Kong, presenting 262 wines and sakes from 75 wineries across 14 countries. The event drew more than 200 trade and business guests and members of the public, with Hong Kong political figures, legislators and foreign consuls also attending.
The company has also promoted its wines at dragon boat races in the southern Chinese coastal city of Shantou and at the Hong Kong Golf Open.
Don St. Pierre, ASC’s executive chairman and CEO, said these activities reflect the company’s ambition to give wine a place in community life.
“We believe wine should not be locked away for special occasions. It should be part of community life, part of the city’s cultural fabric. Supporting events like JZ Festival is how we give something back.”
For St. Pierre, that means sustained participation in the places where ASC does business.
“When we talk about giving back, we do not mean writing a cheque and moving on,” he said. “We mean being part of the cultural life of the places where we operate. These are public, shared experiences – and we want to be part of them, not standing apart from them.”
Discover more from Vino Joy News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
