France: Chateau Loudenne's new Chinese owners planning luxury hotel

(Decanter) - The Moutai Group, owners of Chateau Loudenne in Saint-Yzans-de-Medoc since April 2013, are planning to open a luxury hotel on the property.

Zhong Huaili, president of Chateau Loudenne, spent two years looking at over 30 estates before deciding on the purchase of Loudenne, and now hopes to open it to Chinese visitors.

‘We plan to sell around 50% of production in China, with the rest remaining in traditional markets,’ Huaili told Decanter.com, speaking at an evening at the chateau during Vinexpo.

‘We have television advertising planned, and are already well known for our Moutai drink. We expect to receive a high number of Chinese tourists in the future, as well as making this a reward destination for our staff back in China. This is to be our showcase in Europe.’

The group has 30 wine and spirit shops across China, and plans to open 100 by the end of 2013. The company, which has a turnover of €4.4 billion also owns vineyards in the Quizhou Province, and is a significant producer of Chinese alcohols such as baijo.

Chateua Loudenne is its first vineyard purchase outside of China, contrary to reports that it had bought a Fronsac estate previously.

Yang Yajie, director of administration, said the group is now planning to import wines from not just France but Italy, Canada, Chile and California, with the potential of buying vineyards in other regions also, not just Bordeaux.