Will white wine be central to Burgundy’s future success in Asia?
Are Mâcon wines the answer to rising red Burgundy prices and a growing thirst for white wines in Asia? Nimmi Malhotra finds out. The post Will white wine be central to Burgundy’s future success in Asia? appeared first on The Drinks Business.
Are Mâcon wines the answer to rising red Burgundy prices and a growing thirst for white wines in Asia? Nimmi Malhotra finds out.
For the first time, Mâcon wines, under the umbrella of Union des Producteurs de Vins Mâcon (UPVM), hosted a trade tasting of its wines in Asia this year.
Held in February and organised by Singapore-based wine marketing agency Terroir and Spice, 14 Mâcon-based producers showcased their wines in Singapore and Taiwan and received a strong turnout.
“Singapore and Taiwan are two countries with a demand for the kind of wines that Mâcon represents,” says Blandine Guerrin, vice president of UPVM, referring to the city's undeniable love for Burgundies. However, with rising prices of Burgundy reds and a growing interest in white wines, importers are looking for new options.
The Mâconnais region features several appellations, including Mâcon, Mâcon-Villages, and communes like Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, Lugny and Vire-Clesse, each offering a distinct style. The industry body, UPVM, represents 800 wineries across 4,400 hectares of vineyards. The region produces 30 million bottles annually, of which 90% are Chardonnay.
“Professionals already familiar with Bourgogne, especially the Cote d'Or. They hadn’t necessarily had the opportunity to discover Mâconnais wines. They were very surprised, in a good way, of course, by the high quality of the wines shown in Singapore and Taiwan, and above all by the exceptional value for money,” says Guerrin.
She says the response was overwhelmingly positive, with a strong turnout from trade consumers, a sentiment echoed by Brandon Teo, business development manager at Dunstan Vintner, a Singapore-based wine distribution company.
“Mâcon wasn’t on our radar,” admits Teo. He attended the show to expand the company's French portfolio and was looking for “lesser-known gems that are great value for money”.
“We're delighted Nadine Ferrand of Domaine Nadine Ferrand was present in person, as this is one of the wineries we would like to connect to. Our team also enjoyed wines presented by SCEV Gilles Guerrin,” he says, adding that they are looking to add Mâcon producers to their line-up.
The main markets for Mâcon Wines are the US, UK and Belgium, representing 73% of export markets in 2024. Asia – including China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea– represent only 6% of exports in 2024, an increase of 5.1% since 2019.
“We hope that all winegrowers will be able to develop or strengthen their presence in Asian markets,” shares Guerrin. The organisation’s aim is to increase its Asian footprint in the coming years.
For the first time, Mâcon wines, under the umbrella of Union des Producteurs de Vins Mâcon (UPVM), hosted a trade tasting of its wines in Asia this year.
Held in February and organised by Singapore-based wine marketing agency Terroir and Spice, 14 Mâcon-based producers showcased their wines in Singapore and Taiwan and received a strong turnout.
“Singapore and Taiwan are two countries with a demand for the kind of wines that Mâcon represents,” says Blandine Guerrin, vice president of UPVM, referring to the city's undeniable love for Burgundies. However, with rising prices of Burgundy reds and a growing interest in white wines, importers are looking for new options.
The Mâconnais region features several appellations, including Mâcon, Mâcon-Villages, and communes like Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, Lugny and Vire-Clesse, each offering a distinct style. The industry body, UPVM, represents 800 wineries across 4,400 hectares of vineyards. The region produces 30 million bottles annually, of which 90% are Chardonnay.
“Professionals already familiar with Bourgogne, especially the Cote d'Or. They hadn’t necessarily had the opportunity to discover Mâconnais wines. They were very surprised, in a good way, of course, by the high quality of the wines shown in Singapore and Taiwan, and above all by the exceptional value for money,” says Guerrin.
She says the response was overwhelmingly positive, with a strong turnout from trade consumers, a sentiment echoed by Brandon Teo, business development manager at Dunstan Vintner, a Singapore-based wine distribution company.
“Mâcon wasn’t on our radar,” admits Teo. He attended the show to expand the company's French portfolio and was looking for “lesser-known gems that are great value for money”.
“We're delighted Nadine Ferrand of Domaine Nadine Ferrand was present in person, as this is one of the wineries we would like to connect to. Our team also enjoyed wines presented by SCEV Gilles Guerrin,” he says, adding that they are looking to add Mâcon producers to their line-up.
The main markets for Mâcon Wines are the US, UK and Belgium, representing 73% of export markets in 2024. Asia – including China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea– represent only 6% of exports in 2024, an increase of 5.1% since 2019.
“We hope that all winegrowers will be able to develop or strengthen their presence in Asian markets,” shares Guerrin. The organisation’s aim is to increase its Asian footprint in the coming years. 
