It's true, the Chinese are starting to dominate the way wine is bought and sold, and have been responsible for the hike in prices this year. Do most of them actually appreciate its subtleties? Wine is still largely a status symbol in China and while many are learning about the fine qualities of wine appreciation, but it certainly isn't stopping the wealthiest from purchasing vineyards across southern France (and even altering vineyard names to have Chinese tag lines!). I give it a few years before the likes of Christies and Sotheby's start bringing vineyard auctions to Asia. I just wonder how long it'll take for the guys who bought Bordeaux vineyards to realize Burgundy is where it's at. As one aficionado said, "Bordeaux makes you piss, Burgundy makes you f**k."

Read about how my father pioneered wine pairing with Chinese cuisine in a 1992 article by Zachy's patriarch, Don Zacharia.