For wine producers considering their next export market, Asia presents an important question: where should they begin?

The region offers different markets, consumer preferences, price expectations, and distribution structures. A strategy that works in one country may need significant changes in another. Producers need to understand both the opportunity and the practical steps required to turn interest into sales.

During the Wine Trends & Opportunities in Asia webinar hosted by Asia Wine Ratings, Kamal Malik MS, Dominique Noël, Alexandra Rendall and Grant Smith shared their perspectives on whether producers should be looking to enter Asia.

Their message was clear: Asia deserves serious consideration. Success, however, requires a focused approach.

Kamal Malik MS: Make Asia Part of Your Long-Term Thinking

“You have to focus on Asia and Africa if wine is your game and you want to continue to survive.”

Kamal’s view puts Asia firmly within the conversation about the future of the wine business. For producers reassessing their dependence on traditional markets, his message is a call to broaden their outlook.

Building an export business requires time. Finding partners, understanding demand, and developing repeat sales rarely happen through one visit or one shipment. Producers considering Asia should approach it as a sustained business-development effort.

Kamal also highlighted the need for a different approach. What has worked in Europe or America may not translate directly to Asian markets.

For wineries, that means questioning familiar assumptions. Which wines should lead the portfolio? What price can the market support? How much education does the product need? Which channels offer the strongest fit?

The answers should shape the market-entry plan.

Dominique Noël: Pay Attention to How Wine Is Bought

“Come to Asia because Asia is where it’s happening right now.”

Dominique drew attention to the region’s technological development and evolving wine commerce. His perspective adds another dimension to the opportunity: producers need to understand how consumers discover and purchase wine.

E-commerce platforms and increasingly convenient purchasing options are changing the relationship between a brand, its distribution partners and its customers. Dominique suggested that these developments offer lessons that Western markets can also learn from.

For producers, the practical implication is to include digital capability when evaluating a potential partner.

Beyond asking which retailers or restaurants an importer supplies, wineries should ask how that partner presents wine online, communicates with customers and supports repeat purchases.

Can customers find clear product information? Does the wine have a compelling story in the local language? Is there a straightforward route from discovering the brand to buying it?

These questions belong in the export conversation alongside pricing and logistics.

Alexandra Rendall: Find the Market That Fits Your Wine

“Asia is more than an opportunity. It’s the place to be today.”

Alexandra’s enthusiasm came with an essential qualification: producers need to understand where their wines fit.

She highlighted wine style, pricing, tax structures, and importer portfolios as factors that should guide the decision about which market to pursue.

This is a useful starting point for any winery. An attractive market does not automatically make every wine a suitable product for it. Producers need to establish whether their offer makes commercial sense for the buyer and the final customer.

Pricing deserves particular attention. A winery’s export price is only the beginning of the calculation. Producers should work with potential partners to understand the likely final selling price and the competitive position of the wine.

The importer’s portfolio also matters. Does the wine fill a gap? Does the importer serve the customers the producer wants to reach? Can the team explain what makes the wine relevant?

Finding the right fit gives both parties a stronger reason to invest in the relationship.

Grant Smith: Look Beyond Familiar Export Destinations

“Asia is probably the most exciting area to be looking at if you’re not already here.”

Grant encouraged wineries to consider Asia as a direction for expansion beyond traditional Western markets. He pointed to the region’s population scale as one reason producers should pay attention.

For a winery, the useful next step is to turn that broad opportunity into a specific target.

That could mean identifying one market, one customer segment and a small selection of wines with a clear commercial role. A focused opening portfolio can make it easier for an importer to understand the proposition and introduce it to buyers.

Producers should be ready to explain who the wines are for, where they should sell and how the winery will support its partner after launch.

What Should Wine Producers Do Next?

Taken together, the four perspectives offer a practical starting point:

- Choose markets deliberately. Assess product fit, pricing, and distribution before committing resources.
- Understand the buying journey. Explore how customers discover, evaluate, and purchase wine.
- Evaluate partners carefully. Look at their portfolio, customer base, and ability to develop your brand.
- Plan beyond the first shipment. Agree on training, content, promotional support, and follow-up.

Asia deserves a place in the conversation about wine export growth. The task for producers is to identify where their wines can build a sustainable business—and to support the partners who can help them get there.

Put Your Wines in Front of Industry Professionals

For producers exploring opportunities in the region, Asia Wine Ratings offers an opportunity to have their wines assessed by industry professionals, including buyers, importers, and distributors, and receive feedback.

That feedback can contribute to a producer’s understanding of its wines as it develops its market strategy.

Entries close October 16, 2026. Enter Your Wines today and ship samples by October 28, 2026. Do not miss the 2026 deadline if you want to grow in Asia in 2027.

Also Read:
Cracking the Asian Wine Market: A Strategic Guide for Global Producers
How India’s First Master Sommelier Is Redefining Wine Conversations Across Asia
Q&A: Grant Smith, Founder & Managing Director, Bespoke Fine Wine Co., Ltd.