Jacob’s Creek is opening a new chapter in China, leaning on its Australian Open partnership, a distribution agreement with ASC Fine Wines and a revamped portfolio tailored to Chinese consumers.
Under new owner Vinarchy, the Australian wine brand is bringing together investment in its wines, distribution, and consumer engagement to support its China relaunch. Its appearance at an Australian Open launch event in Beijing in late September marked its first major promotional activity in China since returning to the market.
The approach builds on Jacob’s Creek’s longstanding presence in China. The focus now is on giving Chinese consumers new reasons to discover and enjoy its wines, with the refreshed portfolio and partnerships at the heart of that push.
Jacob’s Creek was the sole wine sponsor at the September 28 event at Beijing’s National Tennis Center. As staff moved among guests from the entertainment and cultural sectors, pouring reds and whites, some reached for the bottles to study the labels, a sign that the Australian brand still registered with Chinese drinkers. The event offered an opportunity to reintroduce guests to the wines and reconnect them with the Australian brand.
“It’s a world-class platform that celebrates the best of modern Australia and helps us connect Jacob’s Creek with consumers,” said Martin Newell, Regional General Manager, Asia, at Vinarchy. “It supports the China relaunch alongside our work on the portfolio, distribution and partnerships.”
For Vinarchy, the sponsorship is one part of a broader investment in Jacob’s Creek’s China presence. As we have previously reported, the company appointed ASC Fine Wines as Jacob’s Creek’s exclusive importer and distributor in China in late 2025.
Together, the moves connect distribution with consumer engagement, supporting both access to the wines and opportunities to discover them.
Building on Strong Foundations
Jacob’s Creek brings an established presence and a long history in China to this next chapter.
According to information supplied by Vinarchy, IWSR data published in 2025 ranked it as Australia’s largest wine brand by volume and the best-selling Australian wine brand across Asia-Pacific.
For Vinarchy, the brand’s longstanding ties to China provide a foundation for its renewed investment in consumers and trade partnerships.
“China is one of the world’s most important wine markets and has a long history with Jacob’s Creek,” Mr Newell said. “We believe the brand has strong foundations and real potential to grow.”
From Integration to Growth
The China push comes as Vinarchy shifts its attention from integration to expanding its business.
Formed in May 2025 by combining Accolade Wines with Pernod Ricard’s wine operations in Australia, New Zealand and Spain, Vinarchy brought a large collection of established labels under one owner. Jacob’s Creek, Hardys and Campo Viejo are its three global pillar brands. Others include Brancott Estate, Stoneleigh, Church Road, Grant Burge, St Hugo, St Hallett and Petaluma.
The group employs more than 2,000 people across 15 countries. Its network includes more than 50 wineries, offices and brand centers, with annual grape-crushing capacity of about 350,000 metric tons.
That scale provides production capabilities and international distribution reach to support investment in its priority brands and markets.
Over the past 18 months, the company’s focus has moved from integration to innovation and growth. It has simplified its portfolio and is now investing behind the brands, innovations and markets with the greatest growth potential.
Its priorities include fresh, distinctive wines, lighter-bodied styles and formats suited to more convenient drinking occasions. The approach places greater weight on how consumers want to drink and what distributors see selling, with those insights informing decisions on wine styles, packaging, sourcing and marketing.
In China, that means building on Jacob’s Creek’s established identity while adapting its proposition to local consumers.
Connecting with Chinese Consumers
The appointment of ASC gives Jacob’s Creek a distribution foundation, while the tennis partnership links it to a prominent Australian sporting event. Alongside those partnerships, Vinarchy is refreshing the portfolio with a focus on relevance to Chinese consumers today.
Vinarchy says that work centers on a simpler, more focused range. Classic, the cornerstone of the portfolio, is moving into a new pack with clearer messaging and color-coded labels designed to build recognition and stand out on shelf, while Sunshine is aimed at refreshment and feel-good occasions.
“We’re refreshing the portfolio, strengthening partnerships, improving how we reach consumers and exploring new ways to make Jacob’s Creek relevant and exciting in China,” Mr Newell said.
China’s importance extends beyond a single label. Australian and New Zealand wines account for a significant part of Vinarchy’s business, giving the group a direct interest in how demand and distribution develop in the market.
Leading with Jacob’s Creek brings together years of accumulated recognition and investment in commercial partnerships. It also puts an established brand at the center of a strategy increasingly shaped by consumer feedback and drinking occasions. In China, that means wines for social gatherings, personal enjoyment and everyday food pairing, offered at a range of price points and across different channels.
Activity around the Australian Open partnership will also reach consumers well beyond the Beijing event. Vinarchy said the campaign will run from November to January in selected retail channels and on e-commerce platforms. Social media influencers, especially on Red Note, will introduce the wines to younger adult consumers, particularly women and show them how to enjoy the wines on different occasions.
The Australian Open event marked a visible step in Jacob’s Creek’s renewed China presence. With distribution, partnerships and portfolio development coming together, the brand’s next chapter is focused on giving Chinese consumers new reasons to discover and enjoy its wines.
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