07/07/2019
On July 3, Lafite Rothschild Group announced that its winery was officially unveiled. This is also the first Lafite premium vintage from the Chinese hills and valleys, and will be brand new on September 19, 2019. Listing. The first batch of 2017 vintages, with a capacity of 2,500 cases, brewed from Cabernet Sauvignon, Matheran and Cabernet Franc, will be sold first in the Chinese market and then sold to other countries.
From 2009 to 2019, it took 10 years for Lafite to unveil its first product in China.
According to the introduction, the reason why it is named "珑岱" means carrying the hope of the Rothschild family, so as to convey that this wine is the perfect product of balance between nature and hard work. As a representative of the Chinese civilization, Shandong Taishan is also a tribute to the glorious history of Lu Dadi in the name of “岱”, vividly interpreting the ideal concept of this holy mountain.
The name “珑岱” stands for the Rothschild family's winemaking philosophy: to create precious treasures through the simple gifts of nature.
The late season in Shandong is uniquely suited to planting grapes. Rooted in diverse terroirs and terraced traits, it is unique in its complexity. After the grapes are fully cooked, they are harvested in the form of artificial tillers. The wine will then undergo an 18-month aging process in French oak barrels. Oak barrels are custom made from the Tonnellerie Des Domaines near Lafite Estate.
Saskia de Rothschild, Chairman of the Lafite Rothschild Group, said, "For over 150 years, the Rothschild family has been dedicated to brewing Lafite Manor wines, bringing the ultimate patient quality into the blood. No fear of time to create, to ensure that every launch We are proud of our wines." Following his father, Baron Eric de Rothschild, Saskia de Rothschild succeeded as the helm of the Rothschild family wine estate. “There is no doubt that Lafite will open a rich and long journey in China, and the vintage is opening the first chapter.”
Tracing back the history of Lafite's establishment in China, as early as March 2009, it signed a cooperation agreement with CITIC East China Group Co., Ltd. (the predecessor of CITIC Industrial Investment Co., Ltd.) to jointly invest in the construction of the winery. The two sides agreed to ensure the excellent quality of the winery wine and the prestigious corporate image, to reserve space for the sustainable development of the winery, and set up a 9,000-mu protected area around the winery within a certain period of time.
In 2011, the vineyard began construction. According to the planning at the time, the vines grew grapes after four years, and the first wines produced by Lafite in 2016 will be released. It plans to produce about 10,000 boxes per year, 12 bottles per box, totaling 120,000 bottles. More than 90% of these wines will go to the Chinese market.
In the second year after the vineyard was opened, the winery officially broke ground and held a groundbreaking ceremony in the Qiushan Valley. According to the information provided by Baron CITIC, the total investment of the first phase of the Manor is 100 million yuan. The project covers an area of 26 mu and the planned construction area is 9117.58 square meters, including 641.7.06 square meters of winery, 1113 square meters of farms and 1621.52 square meters of wine shops.
Since then, the much-watched Lafite Chinese winery has been unusually low-key. According to Lafite's official website, before 2016, Penglai Winery only conducted three experimental harvests and trials. At the end of 2017, CITIC Industrial and Lafite officially parted ways, ending the marriage that lasted for eight years. According to the Shanghai United Assets and Equity Exchange, in November 2017, CITIC Industrial Investment Group Co., Ltd. offered a price of 32.56 million yuan to sell all 30% of the shares held by Baronet Roussillon (Shandong) Co., Ltd. In 2018, Lafite Group acquired the transfer shares and realized sole proprietorship.
On July 3, 2019, the “Lafite China” winery products that came out of long-awaited were finally released.
At this moment, Lafite spent ten years, and we have waited for ten years!
Pernod Ricard, a limited edition of 2,500 cases, the first in the Chinese market
The Chinese manor developed by the Lafite Rothschild Group currently has 25 hectares of fully-produced vineyards (total planting area of 30 hectares). Olivier Trégoat, head of the global estate of Rafi Rothschild Group, said: "We know that the longer the vineyard is planted, the more mellow the wine is, so we look forward to working with time and growing in the coming years. Familiar with this unique land. The first vintage is made from a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Matheran and Cabernet Franc, all of which are harvested from 360-level terraced granitic soils beneath the Qiushan Valley."
“We will be responsible for its exclusive distribution in the Chinese market by Pernod Ricard China ,” said Jean-Guillau-me Prats, CEO of Lafite Rothschild Group. “ The wine will be Listed on September 19, 2019, domestic customers will receive this wine treasure at the end of November, while customers from other countries will be re-opened in early 2020. After the wine is bottled, it will take some time to reach Best state."
Jean-Etienne Gourgues, Managing Director of Pernod Ricard China, said: We are pleased to take this opportunity to further deepen our cooperation with the Lafite Rothschild Group. As an exclusive distributor in China, we are proud to join hands with the group in a new chapter in its Chinese winemaking journey.
At this stage, the wine will be sold in a single bottle gift box and 6 bottles in a wooden box set. It will be first sold in China and then sold to other countries.
It is worth mentioning that each bottle has an anti-counterfeiting protection number. Lafite introduced a new technology at the launch of the 2017 vintage, each bottle will be equipped with NFC tracking technology, which is the most respected technology in wireless payment and travel. The sputum NFC tag is located in the capsule. The NFC chip is activated by scanning the bottle with the smartphone horizontally above the capsule. This is the first bottle scanning technology, users can download the safety app launched by security expert Selinko to verify the authenticity of the bottle. Only the APP can verify the authenticity of the bottle. After downloading the app, it can tell the customer if the bottle has been opened to show the authenticity of the bottle. If Selinko is already installed on your phone, you can open the app directly for valid verification.
This initiative not only demonstrates our long-standing commitment to the Chinese market and consumers, but also conveys our sincere vision to continue to enrich the high-end boutique wine category that is consistent with the strategy of Pernod Ricard. ”
At the same time, the winery will be open to the public in the form of an appointment visit at the end of 2019.
Can Lafite pick up a new wave of Chinese wine consumption?
The winery is the third overseas winery in Lafite, in addition to Vina Los Vascos in Chile and Bodegas Caro in Argentina. Basque Winery currently produces a total of 8 wines with a total output of approximately 450,000 boxes. Bodegas Caro, located in Mendoza, Argentina, is a joint venture between the Lafite Rothschild Group and the Ka's family. The winery currently produces three wines, mainly from the star varieties of the two countries. Xiazhu and Malbec brewed.
It can be said that the winery is an important step in the strategy of Lafite China in China.
In the past ten years, China's imported wine market has developed rapidly. After years of consumption cultivation, imported wine has established a certain national recognition and brand influence in the Chinese market. In the past two years, along with the rise of “Chinese brewing”, Chinese terroir and Chinese quality have become more and more popular among consumers. Based on these two points, Lafite China chose to settle in Penglai a decade ago. It is undoubtedly strategic and forward-looking. With such a combination of Chinese and Western, it not only enjoys the dividend of the long-term market cultivation of imported wine, but also catches up with China. The express train that rises in the production area.
