OK. I just learned that it is not only Mouton Rothschild with its 08 label with a Chinese artist that focused on the Chinese market.  Apparently Lafite Rothschild preceded Mouton with its 08 bottle embossed with the Chinese symbol for lucky number 8. So it seems that one good deed deserves another. And, it looks like both maneuvers had the desired impact of driving up the price of the wine dramatically. Mouton Rothschild went from $200 per bottle to over $1200 per bottle, but  Lafite Rothschild went from $250 per bottle to $2700 per bottle. Advantage Lafite Rothschild. So what is happening with other wine producers? I am not aware of any other wine producers doing this. However, if that is the case, what are they waiting for? It’s time to move. Change those labels. Change the bottles. It’s not about the wine! The 100 point wine scores don’t matter any more. Don’t other wine producers get it? Chinese artist labels and lucky numbers are working. “Sum Yung Vine” is just a suggestion. I have every faith in the ingenuity of entrepreneurial wine producers to improve on this. It’s time to strike while the iron is hot. This is not likely to last forever!! I just read that there is a belief that a producer like Sine Qua Non can someday sell wine for $3 million a bottle! And, this is assumedly without Chinese labels or embossed Chinese symbols on the bottles. Then, given that, there would seem to be no limits as to what producers can extract from the Chinese if they have the right packaging. C’mon boys, time’s a wastin’! The world is your oyster!!

In Vino Veritas,

John Tilson