Chinese Food Security – an Opportunity for SA Wine Producers?

The news that China is to ban all New Zealand milk products in the wake of a botulism scare will remind SA winemakers with long memories of the curious fact that SA seems to suffer more cork failure due to TCA than traditional wine producing countries such as France and Italy. Or could it be that TCA is harder to detect on the Rhone where Brett is a popular flavour? Chinese back luck had one commentator wondering out loud on the BBC this morning why NZ exports all their tainted milk to China rather than Europe. Does the same thing happen with corks?

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While the Chinese authorities ban all NZ milk from Chinese shelves, will they also be pulling Cloudy Bay down to earth? Casein, a product derived from milk, is often used to fine wine. Could removing impurities with NZ milk products add botulism? One man’s meat indeed! With Chinese investment in SA wine assets picking up after the purchase of Val de Vie last week, a clear marketing strategy opens up. The sale was celebrated with twin Nataniel (below) concerts this past weekend

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with the talented performer the spitting image of Pu Yi (below), the last Chinese emperor. Nataniel, Emperor of Nanjing has a certain ring to it and Checkers boerewors for Beijing!

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