With no rolling hills covered in sprawling rows of grapevines, and no wine production whatsoever, Macau is certainly not a place you would expect to find a strong interest in wine. And yet it has always stood out as an Asian city with a profound appreciation of wine, of course due to its European heritage. However what was once a rather narrow focus on wine from Portugal, enjoyed by a small section of the population, is now expanding to include many more locals, and of course tourists from the mainland, with a passion to explore not just Portuguese wines, but the most famous French varieties and indeed a host of wines from the New World also.
As with so many other things in Macau, the wine industry has experienced major changes in recent years, in terms of both consumption and trade. In 2008, Macau eliminated its 15 percent duty on wine imports, and since then imports have more than doubled.
An abundance of fine dining restaurants are seeking better quality and a wider variety for their wine lists, VIP gamblers demand only the very best, and traders and producers from around the world are viewing the city as a stepping stone into the booming and lucrative mainland Chinese market.
This month’s Closer Look speaks to a number of traders and wine afficianados in Macau, and looks at some great vintages from Burgundy and Bordeaux, as well as the most prolific grape variety in Portugal, Touriga Nacional.
Timothy Feather | for Summergate
The booming wine business in Asia and particularly Macau, offers a lot of opportunities, but it is not without its obstacles.
“Nothing is easy, and nor should it be. There are always challenges, and challenges keep us fresh, but at the moment the biggest challenge is the mass of people trying to cash in on the wine boom by selling wine, who have no wine knowledge or experience at all,” comments Timothy Feather. In terms of consumers, a whole new generation is now fascinated by wine not only for its taste but also for its history and traditions.
“They are willing to try all kinds of new varietals and regions, unlike the older generations who are still very enamored with traditional French wines, which still very much lead the way here in terms of imports; almost 50 percent of wines imported into Macau are French.”
Although there is a niche market for Portuguese wines, they aren´t the most sought after anymore, Feather says. “Last year, only 20 percent of all wine imported into Macau was Portuguese”.
There is definitely a wider variety of New World wines on offer though, and this is greatly due to Western expats working here, from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and the USA. It is also driven by changing local curiosity. “There are a lot of people who self educate online and through wine literature. There is definitely a big boom going on,” explains Feather.
To ensure quality, Summergate only works with family owned and operated wine estates: “People with a true understanding of and connection to the vines, the terroir and the wines they ultimately produce. Some of our producers have been making wines for hundreds of years and in one case over a thousand years.”
Timothy´s career in F&B stretches back to 1989, when he started his hotel career, but it wasn´t until 2008 that he went into the wine business full time. He first became interested in wine during a trip to Burgundy and fell in love with Pinot Noir, “a grape I come back to again and again due to its elegance, perfume and delicacy.”
Luís Herédia | for Vinomac Wine
Luís Herédia, has been advising wine importers and Portuguese producers in Macau, since he arrived in the 1989. A couple of years ago, he decided to really get into the local wine business, creating his own portfolio. With the rapid growth over the last decade and the zero percent tax on imported wines, Macau has most definitely seen an increase in wine varieties and sales.
“Before the market was dominated by Portuguese wine and today there are wines available from all the main producing countries. France dominates in volume and value, followed by Australia and Portugal,” he notes.
Portugal is a big part of the local heritage and tourists will more often than not opt for Portuguese restaurants and wines, which is a great way of introducing products to a wider range of people.
“Portugal as a wine producing country is still unknown in Asia. Promoting a new country with new regional names, new grape varieties and small budgets will definitely take time,” explains Herédia. But there is now a lifestyle attached to appreciating wine, a lifestyle that is luring the younger generation in Asia.
Luis is patriotic when it comes to his favourite wine. “Douro is without a doubt my favourite region,” he says. “It is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage region and every time I go there I have a great experience. The quality of its Port wines and its still wines has reached the top in Portugal. A few Port Vintages obtained 100 points in the most distinguished magazines, and some of the red wines achieved over 95 points.”
António Lobo Vilela | for Universal Exports Limited


Macau Wine Society

Wine imports to Macau
Red wines – 90% of the total volume
White Wines – 6% of the volume
The rest includes Champagne, other sparkling wines and Port
In 2010, French still wines represented 35% of the total volume and 83% of the value. Portugal came next at 26% volume but only 3.4% of the value. Australia is third with 9.3% of the volume and 4.5% of the value.