The Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin International, or Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), is an intergovernmental association of 43 member states with an interest in all aspects of wine production. Vine-growing, grapes and any wine and spirits of viticultural origin are of interest to what is often referred to as the “United Nations of Wine.”
Yves Bénard was elected as OIV President last July, the first French national in the post since Baron Le Roy in 1962. A qualified agricultural engineer and oenologist, Mr Bénard is a graduate of the SupAgro International Centre for Advanced Studies in Agricultural Science and an eminent personality of the wine and spirits sector.
Attending the HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair last November, Mr Bénard talked about his impressions of the region’s rapidly growing wine culture and his aspirations for the mainland to become a full-fledged member of the organisation.
What was your connection with Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland before your election to the OIV? I am also General Manager of the Champagne and Wine Division at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Our regional office for Asia is here in Hong Kong, where we cover markets across the region and as far away as Australia. So we anticipate Hong Kong will be the key place to be.
OIV is an official international organisation in terms of scientific and technical issues, gathering 43 countries from around the world. It is a governmental organisation that meets three times a year. Experts from different countries work together on issues concerning viniculture, and also on topics about wine consumption and education.
The mainland has been involved only as an “observer” through Yantai, in Shandong Province, for the past 20 years. Why are you now interested in the mainland becoming a full-fledged member?China, of course, for us is a very important country as a producer of wine and low-cost grapes – the OIV is also in charge of work regarding cheaper grapes. So it is important not just as a wine-consuming country, but also as a grape-growing country. So [that’s why] I think China must be part of the OIV in the future. I also know that the Chinese government is interested in hosting in maybe in two or three years’ time the Annual Congress of the OIV. I have already made some contact with the Chinese government about this [late last year] in Beijing.”
What promise does the wine industry on the mainland, and throughout Asia, hold for France and other wine producers around the world?I’m French, but I’m here as the president of all the countries belonging to the OIV. And I consider that China will become a major wine market, again, not only for imported wines from around the world, but also for producing wine – and, I would say, quality wine. The key question today in China is [how] to help the Chinese people interested in the wine industry produce quality wine. So China is definitely the key market for the future.
In terms of developing the China market and its industry, how important is education and such events as the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair.I think education is an absolutely fundamental issue, and I think that an exhibition like this, with all the wine tastings organised, is very important. First of all, educate the people who are working in the wine industry – I mean the distributors, wholesalers, sommeliers. All these people will then be able to educate the consumers. So it’s a long process, but it is a key process in order to avoid situations where you see very good wine mixed with soft drinks or something like that. I also think it’s very important that the region learns how best to match Chinese food very well with wine.
How can Hong Kong realise its plan to become Asia’s wine hub?First of all, Hong Kong has taken the key decision to abolish wine tax, which means that in the coming year, I’m sure Hong Kong will become the key place to import wine from all over the world. It will then be the window, the place to resell in Asia. And I also know that in Hong Kong, you have the right people to import, to manage the storage of wine in good conditions, and to have these wine education programmes. All of that means that Hong Kong definitely is key for the future of wine in Asia.
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