VIENNA, April 17 (Xinhua) -- While Austria is widely dubbed "the land of music" in China, its unique wine culture has remained little-known in the Asian country. But that is bound to change as more Austrian wine producers try to tap the Chinese market with an increasingly sophisticated wine-consuming base.
Austrian wine is a cold climate wine known for its fruitiness and many varieties, including the famous local variety Gruner Veltliner.
According to the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, the revenue of Austria's wine exports to China reached 2.19 million euros (about 2.37 million U.S. dollars) in 2021, surging 77.9 percent from the previous year.
Although China accounted for only 1 percent of Austria's total wine exports last year, it was the largest export market for Austrian wines outside Europe and North America and is "a promising market for the future," the board's report said.
Johannes Schmuckenschlager, president of the Austrian Winegrowers' Association and a member of Austria's National Council, told Xinhua he is optimistic about Austrian wines further expanding their footprint in the highly competitive Chinese market.
Schmuckenschlager said many Chinese customers have discovered Austrian wines, which have been exceptionally well received by China's niche markets, such as the gastronomy industry.
He added that Austrian wine producers had attended trade fairs in China to expand their influence in the Chinese market.
"Austrian wines have a great potential in China," he said. "I hope we will have more presence in the Chinese market in the coming years and increase our exports there."
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
