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Excitement in Bordelais: More and more Chinese Château buyers are renaming their wineries to make them sound attractive to customers in China. This trend is currently causing heated discussions in the region. The British daily newspaper "The Times" has collected some examples in an article about it: For example, the investor Chi Tong has renamed the 300-year-old Château Larteau into Château Lapin Imperial (translated Château Imperial Rabbit).
The Château Senilhac in the Médoc is now called Château Antelope Tibetaine according to the "Times", Château La Tour Saint-Pierre in Saint Emilion became Château Lapin d'Or (Château Golden Rabbit). The Château Close Bel-Air in Pomerol is now called Château Grande Antelope. These animal names connect the Chinese culture with very positive associations.
According to the "Times", Chinese investors are involved in about 40 percent of all current winery sales. For example, the actress Zhao Wei, who is very popular in China, has taken over Château Monlot, while billionaire Jack Ma now owns three wineries in Bordelais.
(uka / Photo: Uwe Kauss)