‘We Could Have Sold More’: Western Australian Wineries Find Eager Buyers in Shanghai

A two-day Discover Western Australian Festival drew nearly 900 people in Shanghai, with exhibitors reporting stronger-than-expected consumer sales and new business prospects among distributors, restaurants and hotels.

Discover Western Australia Festival, held November 7–8 at Bridge 8 Art Space, attracted nearly 600 wine enthusiasts, private clients and influencers to its first ticketed consumer session. Nearly 300 wine trade professionals attended the following day despite persistent rain.

The event brought together 20 exhibitors across wine, food and tourism, including 17 wineries from Margaret River and Great Southern, two food vendors as well two travel booths from Tourism Western Australia and China’s flagship travel broker CTRIP. 

Strong consumer demand 

Despite the gloom surrounding the wine market, consumers turned out in force. Exhibitors said most were women in their early 30s, with white wines generally proving more popular among them.

Visitors streamed into the consumer session from its 10 a.m. opening, tasting wines from Margaret River, known for its Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Great Southern, whose producers brought a range of styles including Riesling, Shiraz and Pinot Noir.

Several wineries poured highly rated and award-winning wines, including bottles priced at 1,000 yuan (US$150) or more. Chefs prepared Western Australian beef and lamb at two food stands.

Several producers and importers said visitors bought wines on site after tasting them, giving them an expected sales opportunity. 

“The consumer session on November 7 was busy from opening to closing. We also sold quite a few of our flagship wines through China’s popular social media platform Red Note during the event, which completely exceeded our expectations,” said Henry Xu, who oversees Great Southern winery Ferngrove’s import and distribution business in China. The winery’s Gurwutzraminer rosé and white wines are particularly popular on the first day with consumers.  

“Really fantastic to see so many keen consumers and especially interesting to show wines to a lot of younger consumers,” adds Sarah Date, co-owner of Duke’s Vineyard in Great Southern known for its award-winning Rieslings. 

Yuan Zhiqin, sales director at Guangzhou Qikai Trade Co., the Chinese agent for Subsea Estate, said six customers each bought one or two bottles during the consumer session, at an average price of about 200 yuan per bottle.

“I could see that the demand for wine is still there,” Yuan said. “That gives us, as importers, a great deal of confidence.”

Lewis Liu, managing director of For U Global Pty Ltd, Willoughby Park’s exclusive distributor in China, said his company sold several cases but had not brought enough stock on site to meet all the interest.

“Several other visitors were ready to buy on the spot, but we couldn’t complete the sales because we didn’t have the stock,” he said. “I’ll be following up with those customers.”

Wayne Liu, China representative for Margaret River’s iconic Xanadu winery, said visitors were eager to explore the range.

“Many people simply didn’t want to leave,” he said. “Almost everyone tasted almost every wine. Whether they came for a day out or as trade buyers, I think just about everyone enjoyed themselves.”

The event also promoted Western Australia as a travel destination. A lucky draw featured wine, food and a package including two return flights from Shanghai to Perth and hotel accommodation.

One wine enthusiast said the tasting had made her interested in visiting the region.

“Western Australian wine feels like a little universe of its own. Distinctive expressions that are hard to find elsewhere seem to flourish here,” she said.

The sales offered encouragement to exhibitors navigating a market they described as challenging, with distributors cautious about purchasing. Their accounts also showed how direct access to consumers could help wineries find buyers beyond traditional trade channels.

Trade buyers look beyond familiar names

The November 8 trade session brought further opportunities for exhibitors. Some merchants arrived before the official opening to taste wines and meet producers, and visitors continued arriving until an hour before the event closed.

Lewis Liu said he had received expressions of interest from hospitality and retail buyers and planned to continue discussions after returning to Australia.

Hong Boyong, CEO of Pran Wines, said he was busy meeting customers throughout the session. His company represented four participating wineries: 3 Drops, Cullen Wines, L.A.S. Vino and Pierro.

While the better-known producers attracted interest, Hong said the response to 3 Drops exceeded his expectations.

“It was no surprise that people liked established names such as Cullen, L.A.S. Vino and Pierro. What exceeded my expectations was the interest in the lesser-known 3 Drops,” he said.

Several distributors expressed interest in buying and carrying the wines because of their value, Hong said. A hotel customer in Suzhou also requested a training session after tasting them.

“We’ve always believed 3 Drops makes very good wines, but the brand isn’t widely known,” he said. “Several distributors at the event said they wanted to buy and carry the wines because they offered such good value.”

Hong said the tasting also reinforced buyers’ interest in Margaret River’s signature varieties.

“People really recognise the quality of Western Australian Chardonnay. This event will give them more confidence to promote Margaret River Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon,” he said.

“Overall, the event was very efficient at connecting us with buyers, and I was extremely pleased with the results.”

In-market stock 

Most participating wineries already had importers or stock in China, allowing consumers to purchase locally and trade buyers to discuss orders without first arranging an import partnership.

That gave exhibitors a practical advantage in converting interest into sales. Consumers could buy wines they had just tasted, while restaurants, hotels and distributors could source products already available in the market.

The participating producers represented two of Western Australia’s leading wine regions, and most held red five-star winery ratings from the Halliday Wine Companion.

For Ferngrove’s Xu, meeting consumers provided insight that went beyond the day’s sales.

“This was our first consumer event in Shanghai dedicated exclusively to Western Australian food and wine, and I feel very fortunate that Ferngrove could be part of it,” he said. “Meeting Shanghai consumers gave me, as an exhibitor, a more direct understanding of market demand.”

The trade session also brought him back into contact with industry colleagues he had not seen for some time.

“Drinking Western Australian wine, eating Western Australian food and talking about when we might visit – that’s the most natural way to get to know the region,” Xu said. “Building on this year’s success, I hope we can bring more Western Australian wines back to Shanghai next year and introduce more people to the wines we love.”