what about greatwall wine?

I just had two older customers from eastern europe walk out of my restaurant. they were polite but it was because I don't sell Greatwall wine. Yes.... you heard me me right, Greatwall.



"Really nice wine at an affordable price."



In reality, its not that much cheaper wholesale and my per glass price is 35rmb. The same price as anyone else sells a glass of greatwall.



I couldn't believe it when they walked out. I even offered them a free glass of decent wine.



The following is a quote from the greatwall website:



"God blesses Bordeaux with distinguished red wine. But we do share the sunshine soil and good vintage. No distance, but affinity lies between fine wines. The genuine aroma of Bordeaux. The natural fragrance of China. HuaXia GreatWall Dry Red China. Made along 40N. Purely authentic."

here's what a reviewer from Vinography.com said:



I think my desire to try Chinese wine stems from a curiosity and a fascination with the future of the global wine industry. When China enters any market, things change dramatically, and I expect no less from the wine industry. But I wanted to taste for myself the quality of the goods -- as if I might be able to judge the stitching of a backpack or an athletic shoe.

And what did I discover?


If someone can put 100,000 cases of this stuff in every major global wine consuming market at a couple of dollars per bottle, the bottom will fall out of the wine market overnight. It's not fabulous, but it's good enough that someone, somewhere ought to be very, very scared.


Tasting Notes:

A bright medium ruby color in the glass, this wine has a nose of simple cherry fruit aromas tinged with a pencil lead quality that I associate with Bordeaux. In the mouth it is medium bodied with reasonable balance, and very typical red berry flavors of a claret-style Cabernet with hints of cassis and black cherries. It has no real tannic structure left to speak of, but beyond that, it does not betray its age. I'm particularly impressed by its lack of greenness, though one would have expected those flavors to have mellowed over time. The wine overall is not complex, but it is pleasant, and easy to drink. Really, quite surprisingly, decent.


Food Pairing:

I would be more than happy to have this as a house pizza wine.


Overall Score: 8/8.5





Are you falling off your seats, those of you who know what greatwall is? I nearly failnted haveing custormers leave because I don't carry this brand of wine.





So, question, am I a wine snob? Does Dynasty make something worth leaving a reastaurant for?

Perhaps my wine taste bud are not to chowchow's standards but I have decent taste bud for food in general and wine as well.


I think both extremes are extreme of exageration. Greatwall is not vile. I have certainly consume far more vile French, California, Chilean, Australian wines. I would rate it as below average but certainly an acceptable wine. Quite good considering the lack of wine culture in China (and Asia in general). I would never walk out of a restaurant because I could not consume a "quality" wine like Greatwall. However, there may be another reason they walked out.


Perhaps they felt that while they were in China, they want to have a Chinese wine for dinner and they would even prefer an inferior wine if it is a local wine. I can certainly understand that. I don't particularly like Guiness. I only drink in on St Patrick's day. But when I was in Ireland, I would insist on it in Pubs. Maybe those guys felt the same way about Greatwall.

Greatwall is absolutely UNDRINKABLE. So... you win some you lose some. How many customers have you had that walked out because you don't stock this pitiful excuse for wine?? The less stocked it is, the better.