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Thirsty Dragon: China's Lust for Bordeaux and the Threat to the World's Best Wines
An inside view of China's quest to become a global wine power and Bordeaux's attempt to master the thirsty dragon it helped create
The wine merchants of Bordeaux and the rising entrepreneurs of China would seem to have little in common―Old Europe versus New China, tradition versus disruption, loyalty versus efficiency. And yet these two communities have found their destinies intertwined in the conquest of new markets, as Suzanne Mustacich shows in this provocative account of how China is reshaping the French wine business and how Bordeaux is making its mark on China.
Thirsty Dragon lays bare the untold story of how an influx of Chinese money rescued France's most venerable wine region from economic collapse, and how the result was a series of misunderstandings and crises that threatened the delicate infrastructure of Bordeaux's insular wine trade. The Bordelais and the Chinese do business according to different and often incompatible sets of rules, and Mustacich uncovers the competing agendas and little-known actors who are transforming the economics and culture of Bordeaux, even as its wines are finding new markets―and ever higher prices―in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, with Hong Kong and London traders playing a pivotal role.
At once a tale of business skullduggery and fierce cultural clashes, adventure, and ambition, Thirsty Dragon offers a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges facing the world's most famous and prestigious wines.
The wine merchants of Bordeaux and the rising entrepreneurs of China would seem to have little in common―Old Europe versus New China, tradition versus disruption, loyalty versus efficiency. And yet these two communities have found their destinies intertwined in the conquest of new markets, as Suzanne Mustacich shows in this provocative account of how China is reshaping the French wine business and how Bordeaux is making its mark on China.
Thirsty Dragon lays bare the untold story of how an influx of Chinese money rescued France's most venerable wine region from economic collapse, and how the result was a series of misunderstandings and crises that threatened the delicate infrastructure of Bordeaux's insular wine trade. The Bordelais and the Chinese do business according to different and often incompatible sets of rules, and Mustacich uncovers the competing agendas and little-known actors who are transforming the economics and culture of Bordeaux, even as its wines are finding new markets―and ever higher prices―in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, with Hong Kong and London traders playing a pivotal role.
At once a tale of business skullduggery and fierce cultural clashes, adventure, and ambition, Thirsty Dragon offers a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges facing the world's most famous and prestigious wines.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 27, 2015
17 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 22, 2015
What a roller coaster of a book. China comes on strong buying up Bordeaux wines, wine turns into a bubble, pop!, then . . . what next? I've never read so much about wine. Usually the extent of my reading about wine begins & ends with the flowery purple prose found on the back of cheap bottles of Pinot Noir, but I certainly do not regret picking up this book. Cross-cultural exchange is rarely boring, and Ms Mustacich aptly captures the drama of two rather different cultures feeling their way around each other in an effort to move bottles of wine, grow great vineyards, and maybe earn some serious wealth, if one or both are lucky. In a rather entertaining turn for me, the extensive brand squatting and counterfeit wine industries in China overlapped quite deeply with my recent reading of "The Stealth of Nations: The Global Rise of the Informal Economy." What will these various winemakers do in the face of fake wine? Will China turn to global standards for copyright & trademarks? I certainly can't say. But it is rather fascinating how quickly the Chinese palate shifted from adding soda to wine over to workers in the hinterlands of China buying wine to serve at their humble weddings. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys international commerce, cross-cultural exchange, wine, or economics. I received an advance reading copy in exchange for this review. I'm also looking forward to finishing my latest bottle of wine.
October 27, 2015
There are two different stories being told here: the first is the story of the business of wine and how the Chinese communist model clashed with the wine culture of the Bordeaux; and the second is the story of making wine in China and the struggle of finding the right place to grow the grapes, make the wine and find actual wine drinkers in China. Full of first hand accounts of those that worked to bring wine and the wine business to China, it was a fascinating look into the cultural conflict between the absurdity of the Chinese communist system and the west. I found the writing style clear and easy to read while also painting a picture of the people and places involved, the book also felt well researched and well organized. The authors melding of the details of the business of wine and the impact of the events on the lives of all of those involved both in France and China really drew me into this book. I received a free ARC of this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaways.
September 10, 2020
如果你想了解葡萄酒的世界，這本書是一本非常理想的讀物! 作者蘇珊是一位專門報導波爾多葡萄酒的記者，有數十年的新聞資歷，她選擇了一個很有意思的切入點來檢視波爾多紅酒的現況和未來。本書出版於2015年，離目前不算太久遠，她以中國的崛起為背景，深入的探討"新世界"葡萄酒即將帶來的改變。
波爾多葡萄酒有著數百年的歷史，一般來說波爾多紅酒等同於最頂級的酒類，歐陸的葡萄酒產業發展已久，有著自己一套獨特的運作模式，歐陸的葡萄酒一般被稱為"舊世界"，過去這幾十年，世界各地很多新的國家開始外銷當地的葡萄酒，最有名的例如美國加州、澳洲、智利、南非，這些國家的酒在某種程度上不輸波爾多了，甚至有過之而無不及，這些地區被稱為"新世界"。
新世界其中一位成員是很多人意想不到的:中國。 雖然還在起步，中國在全球酒類市場佔有一席之地的渴望越來越強烈。另一方面，中國經濟的起飛讓許多人有錢享用美酒佳餚，身為全球最龐大的消費者市場，中國猶如一頭"飢渴的巨龍"，撼動了波爾多葡萄酒產業。
這本書包含了知識量太多了，讀起來卻毫不生澀。蘇珊非常會說故事，讀完以後讀者對於波爾多紅酒的基礎知識應該都具備了，我覺得超興奮，以後與葡萄酒相關的討論至少聽得懂皮毛了。除了酒類的知識，蘇珊也很傳神的描述了在中國做生意會遇到的挑戰和文化，加深你對中國的商業環境的認識。
波爾多最有名的酒類是依照1855年一場品鑑會的標準而定，延續至今，幾乎沒有該改過(因此有不合時宜之嫌)。說到葡萄酒，請務必把五間第一等葡萄酒莊的名字記起來: Château Latour (拉度), Château Lafite Rothschild(拉菲), Château Margaux(瑪歌),Château Haut-Brion(侯貝),
Mouton Rothschild(木桐羅斯柴爾德)。
這五間號稱最優質的葡萄酒莊每年都會發布售價(每年都不同，不過一瓶至少都要300~400美元)，成為當年葡萄酒價格的參考指標。波爾多傳統的銷售模式稱為"預購"，酒莊透過經紀人、酒商，依賴他們的通路賣給終端消費者。這是一個不透明的體系，也仰賴良好的人際關係和信任，第一等酒莊可能只會把酒預售給最信任的酒商，而這些酒商也都有悠久的歷史。
隨著中國改革開放獲得成功，1990年代末期開始，商人嗅到了商機，他們透過香港進口法國葡萄酒到中國，中國的商人也開始跟波爾多接觸。文化上的差異造成了很多窘境，其中最嚴重的就是中國商人希望跳過中間人(經紀人和酒商)，直接跟酒莊買酒，乍看之下你會想應該沒差吧? 讓成本降低，不用讓酒商抽傭金不好嗎? 實際上，酒商存在是有重大意義的，他們重視榮譽和信用，向酒莊預購的款項一定準時送達，分毫不少，酒商也會仔細檢視葡萄酒的品質，替消費者把關。
有些中國商人則不同了(請注意:這裡並沒有貶低中國商人的意思)，在中國文化裡，任何事情都是有轉圜的空間，例如可能突然改變合約的內容，原先訂購1000萬美金，因為某些因素最後一刻改成100萬美金(書裡的案例)。造成這種情況的原因很多，其中一個是海外大手筆的買家，有一定的比例來自國有企業，國有企業的經理人最忌諱的就是造成公司的損失，這會阻礙他的仕途...因此毀約反而是個無關痛癢的選擇。
波爾多紅酒傳統上最大的市場是美國，金融海嘯後紅酒滯銷，這時中國市場出乎意料的需求強勁，波爾多葡萄酒的價格開始被哄抬，價格一飛衝天，引來投機客的炒作。到了2013年，葡萄酒市場疲軟，開始泡沫化。許多波爾多酒莊、酒商把希望押注在中國上，結果不如預期。習近平上台後打擊貪污，也讓高級葡萄酒的處境雪上加霜。大量訂單被取消，連鎖效應一般，攪亂了一池春水，可見中國的影響力越來越強大。
蘇珊列舉了好多有意思的故事。除了一般雙方貿易的影響，我覺得更值得注意的是雙方的互動。波爾多方面有不少人躍躍欲試，希望成功深耕中國市場，卻沒料到困難重重: 被盜用的商標、假酒、難以捉摸的官僚系統、商業文化...，許多人最後殺羽而歸。在這邊我就不深入的介紹了，這些資訊會讓讀者增加很多對中國的商業環境的認識(例如:智慧財產權採用登記制，先登記就是你的，先搶先贏，很多智財蟑螂藉此大發一筆，波爾多的酒莊還得賠錢給山寨的品牌)。
中國方面，他們也積極的發展本國的葡萄酒產業。透過併購波爾多酒莊、派人去釀酒學校學習、與酒莊合資在中國設立葡萄園...各種方式，中國的葡萄酒也獲得不少佳績。讀者也能從中瞭解中國未來葡萄酒產業的走向，還有葡萄酒生產的一些機遇和挑戰(例如寧夏有望成為中國葡萄酒的大本營；葡萄的種類Chardonnay、Riesling...可能不適合中國的氣候)。若你想認識波爾多美酒如何與崛起的強國互相影響，這本書能讓你看見一個不一樣的世界。
波爾多葡萄酒有著數百年的歷史，一般來說波爾多紅酒等同於最頂級的酒類，歐陸的葡萄酒產業發展已久，有著自己一套獨特的運作模式，歐陸的葡萄酒一般被稱為"舊世界"，過去這幾十年，世界各地很多新的國家開始外銷當地的葡萄酒，最有名的例如美國加州、澳洲、智利、南非，這些國家的酒在某種程度上不輸波爾多了，甚至有過之而無不及，這些地區被稱為"新世界"。
新世界其中一位成員是很多人意想不到的:中國。 雖然還在起步，中國在全球酒類市場佔有一席之地的渴望越來越強烈。另一方面，中國經濟的起飛讓許多人有錢享用美酒佳餚，身為全球最龐大的消費者市場，中國猶如一頭"飢渴的巨龍"，撼動了波爾多葡萄酒產業。
這本書包含了知識量太多了，讀起來卻毫不生澀。蘇珊非常會說故事，讀完以後讀者對於波爾多紅酒的基礎知識應該都具備了，我覺得超興奮，以後與葡萄酒相關的討論至少聽得懂皮毛了。除了酒類的知識，蘇珊也很傳神的描述了在中國做生意會遇到的挑戰和文化，加深你對中國的商業環境的認識。
波爾多最有名的酒類是依照1855年一場品鑑會的標準而定，延續至今，幾乎沒有該改過(因此有不合時宜之嫌)。說到葡萄酒，請務必把五間第一等葡萄酒莊的名字記起來: Château Latour (拉度), Château Lafite Rothschild(拉菲), Château Margaux(瑪歌),Château Haut-Brion(侯貝),
Mouton Rothschild(木桐羅斯柴爾德)。
這五間號稱最優質的葡萄酒莊每年都會發布售價(每年都不同，不過一瓶至少都要300~400美元)，成為當年葡萄酒價格的參考指標。波爾多傳統的銷售模式稱為"預購"，酒莊透過經紀人、酒商，依賴他們的通路賣給終端消費者。這是一個不透明的體系，也仰賴良好的人際關係和信任，第一等酒莊可能只會把酒預售給最信任的酒商，而這些酒商也都有悠久的歷史。
隨著中國改革開放獲得成功，1990年代末期開始，商人嗅到了商機，他們透過香港進口法國葡萄酒到中國，中國的商人也開始跟波爾多接觸。文化上的差異造成了很多窘境，其中最嚴重的就是中國商人希望跳過中間人(經紀人和酒商)，直接跟酒莊買酒，乍看之下你會想應該沒差吧? 讓成本降低，不用讓酒商抽傭金不好嗎? 實際上，酒商存在是有重大意義的，他們重視榮譽和信用，向酒莊預購的款項一定準時送達，分毫不少，酒商也會仔細檢視葡萄酒的品質，替消費者把關。
有些中國商人則不同了(請注意:這裡並沒有貶低中國商人的意思)，在中國文化裡，任何事情都是有轉圜的空間，例如可能突然改變合約的內容，原先訂購1000萬美金，因為某些因素最後一刻改成100萬美金(書裡的案例)。造成這種情況的原因很多，其中一個是海外大手筆的買家，有一定的比例來自國有企業，國有企業的經理人最忌諱的就是造成公司的損失，這會阻礙他的仕途...因此毀約反而是個無關痛癢的選擇。
波爾多紅酒傳統上最大的市場是美國，金融海嘯後紅酒滯銷，這時中國市場出乎意料的需求強勁，波爾多葡萄酒的價格開始被哄抬，價格一飛衝天，引來投機客的炒作。到了2013年，葡萄酒市場疲軟，開始泡沫化。許多波爾多酒莊、酒商把希望押注在中國上，結果不如預期。習近平上台後打擊貪污，也讓高級葡萄酒的處境雪上加霜。大量訂單被取消，連鎖效應一般，攪亂了一池春水，可見中國的影響力越來越強大。
蘇珊列舉了好多有意思的故事。除了一般雙方貿易的影響，我覺得更值得注意的是雙方的互動。波爾多方面有不少人躍躍欲試，希望成功深耕中國市場，卻沒料到困難重重: 被盜用的商標、假酒、難以捉摸的官僚系統、商業文化...，許多人最後殺羽而歸。在這邊我就不深入的介紹了，這些資訊會讓讀者增加很多對中國的商業環境的認識(例如:智慧財產權採用登記制，先登記就是你的，先搶先贏，很多智財蟑螂藉此大發一筆，波爾多的酒莊還得賠錢給山寨的品牌)。
中國方面，他們也積極的發展本國的葡萄酒產業。透過併購波爾多酒莊、派人去釀酒學校學習、與酒莊合資在中國設立葡萄園...各種方式，中國的葡萄酒也獲得不少佳績。讀者也能從中瞭解中國未來葡萄酒產業的走向，還有葡萄酒生產的一些機遇和挑戰(例如寧夏有望成為中國葡萄酒的大本營；葡萄的種類Chardonnay、Riesling...可能不適合中國的氣候)。若你想認識波爾多美酒如何與崛起的強國互相影響，這本書能讓你看見一個不一樣的世界。
February 14, 2017
A good overview of China's turbulent love affair with Bordeaux that, unexpectedly, also has some good coverage of China's own burgeoning wine production efforts. A bit too tactical and overly focused on individual negociants and Chinese traders. Would have benefited from taking a somewhat broader view.
November 20, 2015
I received an advance copy of Thirsty Dragon through Goodreads First Reads, and am grateful for the opportunity.
Before reading Thirsty Dragon, I had only a basic understanding of wine's history. I knew that the best wine traditionally came from France, particularly Bordeaux. However, I knew little about the actual culture and business practices behind the trade.
Therefore, this book has opened my eyes, both to the complex nature of wine dealing within France and internationally and to the significant threat to the traditional French wineries. I learned much about France and China through the reading, and am now aware of the larger issues in play with the economy of wine as I type.
Even so, I realized that this book was tailored specifically for audiences already knowledgeable in wine and economics. Many of the terms and issues being discussed became increasingly confusing as I continued through the book.
Therefore, I recommend that readers should have sufficient understanding of wine and international markets before reading the book. That said, those with the right background will find the book to be a remarkable insight into the global market behind wine consumption.
Before reading Thirsty Dragon, I had only a basic understanding of wine's history. I knew that the best wine traditionally came from France, particularly Bordeaux. However, I knew little about the actual culture and business practices behind the trade.
Therefore, this book has opened my eyes, both to the complex nature of wine dealing within France and internationally and to the significant threat to the traditional French wineries. I learned much about France and China through the reading, and am now aware of the larger issues in play with the economy of wine as I type.
Even so, I realized that this book was tailored specifically for audiences already knowledgeable in wine and economics. Many of the terms and issues being discussed became increasingly confusing as I continued through the book.
Therefore, I recommend that readers should have sufficient understanding of wine and international markets before reading the book. That said, those with the right background will find the book to be a remarkable insight into the global market behind wine consumption.
October 4, 2015
Wine in the Wild East. What a story!
Most of us drink wine, yet know so little about the industry, especially the worldwide wine industry. This book pours a good glass of wine information.
Thirsty Dragon by Suzanne Mustacich tells the story of the role wine played in China's good fortune in the last decade and how it went hand in hand with Bordeaux's. The Chinese learned to like and, indeed, embrace wine. Not surprisingly, the wine industry hasn't been immune to China's affinity for counterfeiting. Label copying was a juicy opportunity in China's new, naive wine market and then one illegal thing led to another.
A fascinating, behind the scenes look at the challenges faced by wine sellers and consumers around the world.
Most of us drink wine, yet know so little about the industry, especially the worldwide wine industry. This book pours a good glass of wine information.
Thirsty Dragon by Suzanne Mustacich tells the story of the role wine played in China's good fortune in the last decade and how it went hand in hand with Bordeaux's. The Chinese learned to like and, indeed, embrace wine. Not surprisingly, the wine industry hasn't been immune to China's affinity for counterfeiting. Label copying was a juicy opportunity in China's new, naive wine market and then one illegal thing led to another.
A fascinating, behind the scenes look at the challenges faced by wine sellers and consumers around the world.
October 27, 2015
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.
A very informative and interesting read. The politics behind wine in France and now China are truly eye opening. Well researched and could get a bit boring with all the details but all in all a very good read.
A very informative and interesting read. The politics behind wine in France and now China are truly eye opening. Well researched and could get a bit boring with all the details but all in all a very good read.
November 11, 2015
LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AND A GOoD READ.
September 17, 2018
Un libro eccezionale, "eccezziunale veramente"!
Non è solo molto profondo, ben ricercato e estremamente informativo, ma in alcuni tratti è anche appassionante! Il capitolo sulle "avventure" di Nick Bartman contro i contraffattori cinesi è diverse spanne sopra tanta fiction, come anche lo scontro tra il négociant Philippe Papillon e i suoi (ex-) clienti cinesi. Confesso di aver provato un po' di ansia leggendo della reclusione di Don St Pierre Jr in un carcere cinese, soprattutto perché essendo una storia vera il lieto fine non è certo garantito!
E la soddisfazione di trovare articoli dell'epoca su Purple Pages e leggere le parole poi riportate nel libro ha aggiunto una dimensione ulteriore alla lettura.
Possiamo individuare tre filoni all'interno del saggio: lo sviluppo del mercato cinese per i vini stranieri (e in particolare bordolesi) a partire dagli anni 1990, lo sviluppo dell'industria vitivinicola cinese nello stesso periodo e la penetrazione dei ricconi cinesi nella realtà locale di Bordeaux, la loro acquisizione di négociants e chateaux con lo scompiglio annesso.
Se posso fare un appunto all'autore, l'unico problema è proprio qui: c'è un sacco di carne al fuoco! Una selva di nomi fa capolino tra le pagine e molti (quelli cinesi) sono difficili da tenere a mente: "Aspetta chi diavolo era Qu Naijie? Zhang Jinshan?" Così spesso è necessario tornare indietro per ricordare i vari attori e la cosa può risultare pesante.
Invece di portare avanti il discorso in termini cronologici, sviluppando tutti i discorsi più o meno contemporaneamente, sarebbe forse stato meglio dividere il libro in tre parti, separate le une dalle altre, ma un po' più omogenee, concentrandosi su un argomento alla volta.
Se siete nell'industria vinicola è un libro assolutamente imprescindibile per comprendere meglio la realtà di un mercato così vasto e complesso come quello cinese. Come "lettura occasionale" potrebbe essere un po' ostica.
Non è solo molto profondo, ben ricercato e estremamente informativo, ma in alcuni tratti è anche appassionante! Il capitolo sulle "avventure" di Nick Bartman contro i contraffattori cinesi è diverse spanne sopra tanta fiction, come anche lo scontro tra il négociant Philippe Papillon e i suoi (ex-) clienti cinesi. Confesso di aver provato un po' di ansia leggendo della reclusione di Don St Pierre Jr in un carcere cinese, soprattutto perché essendo una storia vera il lieto fine non è certo garantito!
E la soddisfazione di trovare articoli dell'epoca su Purple Pages e leggere le parole poi riportate nel libro ha aggiunto una dimensione ulteriore alla lettura.
Possiamo individuare tre filoni all'interno del saggio: lo sviluppo del mercato cinese per i vini stranieri (e in particolare bordolesi) a partire dagli anni 1990, lo sviluppo dell'industria vitivinicola cinese nello stesso periodo e la penetrazione dei ricconi cinesi nella realtà locale di Bordeaux, la loro acquisizione di négociants e chateaux con lo scompiglio annesso.
Se posso fare un appunto all'autore, l'unico problema è proprio qui: c'è un sacco di carne al fuoco! Una selva di nomi fa capolino tra le pagine e molti (quelli cinesi) sono difficili da tenere a mente: "Aspetta chi diavolo era Qu Naijie? Zhang Jinshan?" Così spesso è necessario tornare indietro per ricordare i vari attori e la cosa può risultare pesante.
Invece di portare avanti il discorso in termini cronologici, sviluppando tutti i discorsi più o meno contemporaneamente, sarebbe forse stato meglio dividere il libro in tre parti, separate le une dalle altre, ma un po' più omogenee, concentrandosi su un argomento alla volta.
Se siete nell'industria vinicola è un libro assolutamente imprescindibile per comprendere meglio la realtà di un mercato così vasto e complesso come quello cinese. Come "lettura occasionale" potrebbe essere un po' ostica.
September 22, 2019
It’s both interesting and a slog. It’s worth the effort. I love the individual stories of the people the author interviewed and tracked, and she also was very able to look at the bigger market and wine industry as a whole. Well-done overall. Just slow going.
July 23, 2020
You might think it'd be a breeze
To sell wine to the Chinese.
To sell wine to the Chinese.
January 24, 2025
Very well written book, goes into depth about explaining all the nuances of the Bordeaux system, as well as the Chinese geopolitical landscape, while not getting too dull.
December 14, 2021
Boring.
September 11, 2016
Exceedingly well-researched, if at times a bit meandering, this book delves into the complexities that result when an emerging and at times uneven economic powerhouse collides with a centuries-old establishment. The results? Counterfeiting, smuggling, meteoric rises, stunning falls, dropped contracts, and perhaps the emergence of a new wine superpower (yes, China can make wine and it's good). You could hardly ask for a better guide to the complicated system of en primeur and negociants, a system that while still functioning, may be headed for disruption in the very near future.
May 6, 2016
A well researched look at business in China
This is a great read about the sine business in China, but for most people the relevant part is that it discusses "business in China". If you're looking to start working in the Middle Kingdom, this is one of the books you should read to get an idea what lies ahead of you.
This is a great read about the sine business in China, but for most people the relevant part is that it discusses "business in China". If you're looking to start working in the Middle Kingdom, this is one of the books you should read to get an idea what lies ahead of you.
March 19, 2017
The research done for this book was quite in depth and revealing of how China allows the Wine business to exist, both locally and on an import basis. An interesting read and cautionary tale(s) for anyone thinking of doing any kind of business with the Chinese.
The timeframe covered is largely the last 20 years.
The timeframe covered is largely the last 20 years.
February 4, 2016
Interesting I found this book interesting, but a bit dull. Sorry, just not much more to say about it. Just okay.
June 11, 2018
I don't think you could write a more comprehensive account of Chinese-Bordeaux interaction covering the past twenty five years than Ms. Mustacich has done. Her research and inside info are fantastic. This book will not only illuminate the newly emergent Chinese wine scene, including the love-hate, now-I-screw-you, now-you-screw-me, East vs West, capitalist vs. state-controlled atmosphere pervading the entire relationship of China with Bordeaux, but Thirsty Dragon will also give you insights into all business as it operates inside China, for the Chinese as well as foreigners. There's a lot to absorb here. Kudos to the author for a job well done.
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