Vineyard Voyager - Marc Curtis of China Wine Tours

Raised in a military family that was constantly on the move, American Marc Curtis grew up appreciating travel and different cultures. A career in TV production furthered his passion for experiencing new places and after extensive travels around the world he arrived in China four years ago to set up a business in the domestic tourism industry. Today he operates China Wine Tours, a company that organizes wine tours in China. We spoke with him last month about his background, business and favorite Chinese wines.

What brought you to China and where are you currently based?
I had a strong desire to go to Mainland China – I had been to Hong Kong in my travels, but wanted to see the Great Wall and experience the culture. I began networking with as many people as I could, and eventually met someone from the Chinese Embassy in Los Angeles, who connected me with some people in Shanghai. So I flew to Shanghai to begin learning of the opportunities in China.

My company opened a representative office in Shanghai in 2006 to make it possible for us to work with the tourism bureau there to promote tourism from the US to China. We are currently based in Redlands, California, about an hour drive east of Los Angeles.

How did you develop an interest in Chinese wine and what gave you the idea to start your company?
My second trip to China was sponsored by the China National Tourism Office out of Los Angeles – I was their guest on a tour of the Ancient Silk Road in Xinjiang. During that trip, in Turpan, they showed us the grape growing region and I was very impressed! I asked about wineries, since I have a love of good wine due to my trips to France, Italy, Australia, South Africa and the USA. I was told that there were wineries, but we didn’t have time during that tour to visit them. So I began to do some research both online and on subsequent trips to China.

And what did you find out on those trips?
Initially I found some wines that were very poor quality and not worth drinking. But I asked at various wine shops in China who makes the best Chinese wine and it was unanimous that it was Grace Vineyard in Shanxi. I bought a chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon to bring back to the US and taste with some friends. We were very impressed. On my next trip to China I arranged a visit to Grace Vineyard and was quite pleased with their facility, and with the quality of their wines. I also discovered that no tour companies were focusing on wine tours in China, so I grabbed chinawinetours.com and built the website.

Which vineyards do you typically work with?
Three of my favorites are Grace Vineyard in Shanxi, Chateau Bolongbao in Hebei, and Treat Port in Yantai. I also like the wine culture museum at Chateau Chengyu in Yantai. When conditions are right, I like to take visitors to Xinjiang to visit Suntime wines, which has a joint venture with China Silk Wines, the biggest importer of Chinese wine to the US at this time.

What’s your general take on Chinese wine? Are there any defining characteristics?
The Chinese wine industry is going through a rapid growth at this time, but I don’t believe [Chinese wines] have really defined a recognizable characteristics – some are trying to imitate Bordeaux, others focus on Australian. However the good thing is that while wine making in China goes back about 2,200 years, it’s really only the past 12 to 15 years that they have discovered that the world loves good wine – so many wineries have hired winemakers from producers around the world to teach them how to make quality wine that the world market will appreciate.

There has been great progress, but still plenty of room for improvement. One problem is how to price the best wines competitively. Just because a wine costs more, doesn’t make it that much better. I think most of the high priced Chinese wines are really only worth half the price they are charging. But, perception is a big part of pricing – it’s difficult to get “shelf space” for something new, so the wines need to be priced accordingly.

What are your favorite Chinese wines?
For my own personal taste, I am very pleased with Grace Vineyard and Chateau Bolongbao, and whenever I have the opportunity I invite friends to taste some with me. So far, everyone has enjoyed the wines.

It may seem that I’m being paid to promote Grace Vineyard, but the only connection is my enjoyment of their wines. They can be found in some of the finer hotels in Beijing, including the Peninsula and Shangri-La, and in their shop in Doncheng District (see address below). Chateau Bolongbao wines can be purchased at their vineyard in Hebei.

You offer a variety of tour packages for both domestic and overseas visitors. What is a typical itinerary that local Beijingers can enjoy? What vineyards are located near the city and what kind of wines do they produce?
For local day trips I recommend Chateau Bolongbao in Hebei, about one hour from Beijing. Yantai is an excellent choice for a weekend trip as there are many wineries within a short distance of each other, and wineries such as Treaty Port and Chateau Junding have beautiful resorts with spas and golf courses. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay are most prominent.

Also near Beijing are Dynasty and Great Wall wineries, which are very large producers. China Wine Tours tends to avoid the bulk wineries in favor of the boutique wineries.

Your press materials mention that Shanxi Grace Vineyard in Taigu is enjoys the most acclaim in China – why is that the case?
How far is the vineyard from Beijing and what does it feature? Grace Vineyard (www.grace-vineyard.com) in Taigu, Shanxi Province about an hour and a half flight from Beijing, has a wide range available. The winery was created by a very successful businessman in Hong Kong, C.K. Chan, and his daughter, Judy Leissner, is the CEO. Each series represents a member of their family, so they are dedicated to producing great wines as a legacy. I’m fond of their Tasya’s Reserve series. The Cabernet/Merlot blend is very good, as is the Chardonnay. Grace also has a Chenin Blanc that, at least by my palate, pairs well with Chinese food.

Are you interested in starting a vineyard yourself?
I have toyed with the idea of my own vineyard in China, but I don’t have the experience behind me. I do know some excellent but little known producers in California who might enjoy such a challenge.

When is your next tour and where will you go?
We are currently finalizing our plans for a tour in May of 2010, and discussing a photographers’ journey in the fall. We also have several private groups (wine clubs, vintners, etc.) who are interested [in coming to China for tours]. The website will be updated once dates and schedules are ready for announcement.

Grace Vineyard Shop 16 Xilou Hutong, Dongcheng District (8402 9917) 东城区西楼胡同16号

More info at www.chinawinetours.com