DecanterChina.com will be bi-lingual, English and simplified Chinese text (used in mainland China) and is dedicated to the country’s ever-growing audience of wine lovers.
The Asian wine market has grown dramatically in recent years, with Chinese consumption reaching 156.19 million cases in 2011, putting China in fifth place of the top wine-consuming nations worldwide, ahead of the UK.
Two new editorial staff, based in IPC Media’s Blue Fin Building in London, have been assigned to work on the site. They will report to editor John Abbott, and will be joined by a host of top-name contributors from across China and Hong Kong, creating content especially designed for this new audience.
Built by multi award-winning brand strategy and communications firm Eight Partnership and set to launch in autumn 2012, the new site will focus on education, and will include a translation glossary for key wine terms, event listings, the latest wine news and top recommendations. It will also be fully integrated with the hugely popular Chinese microblogging website, Weibo.
Editor of DecanterChina.com John Abbott says: “We are very excited to be able to bring our significant publishing experience to engage with a new audience of wine lovers. Along with our Chinese editors and contributors, we are looking forward to building an active community with those who love to talk and learn about wine.”
Publishing director Sarah Kemp (pictured) adds: “Decanter has always put consumers first, which has built its international reputation. The launch of www.decanterchina.com is an opportunity for us to reach a new generation of wine consumers and converse with them in their own language.”
The launch of DecanterChina.com follows the recent launch of the Decanter Asia Wine Awards, a sister competition to the Decanter World Wine Awards, recognising wines targeted at the Asian market, judged by Asia's most prominent wine experts. The new site will be the home and publishing platform for the results of the Decanter Asia Wine Awards.
Decanter magazine was launched in 1975. Decanter today comprises of Europe’s leading wine events, the Decanter Fine Wine Encounters, Decanter.com launched in 2000 and the Decanter World Wine Awards. Decanter has recently been shortlisted for Consumer Media Brand of the Year by the PPA (Professional Publishers Association).
