Wine Cellar
Night Life
Aussino Wine Cellar
Intoxicated at Luxury Wine Cellar in GZ
Located in the busiest area of downtown Guangzhou, Aussino Cellar is like a treasure trove hidden in this large metropolis. More than 1,000 wines from over 200 remarkable wineries selected from the top 10 famous wine producing countries decorate the cellar. If that is not enough to ignite your taste buds, how about the luxury ornaments, soft and cozy sofa and romantic, gentle music? I just can't imagine a better place in Guangzhou for friends and lovers to wile away the time.
Opened in June, 2006, the cellar, as the only cellar-style wine bar in Guangzhou, has attracted a great number of registered members mainly consisting of white collars, CEOs and celebrities. Paying just RMB 50 yuan/bottle, you can drink the wine you just bought and enjoy the elegant atmosphere and tender music. Snacks and cheeses are also served. With a blooming business, the cellar was expanded and refurnished last month. Now, more private rooms and a spacious hall make it even more comfortable.
Aussino World Wines Co. was founded in 1995 by a Cantonese named Robert who finished studying in Australia and returned to his hometown. Being familiar with the locals tastes Robert soon opened the company to cater for the wine market in Guangzhou. Now the company has chain stores in big cities all over China. In order to further expand the market, the company tries to introduce wine culture to local people along with wine sales. Registered members get the quarterly journal Aussino Wine Life, full of information and events concerning wine. Moreover, regular wine tasting parties also provide a great communicative platform for wine fans.
*Tips for wine lovers*
Business hours of Aussino Wine Cellar: 10:00 AM- 2:00 AM
Membership: If your consumption for one time exceeds RMB 1,500 yuan, you are entitled to membership. You can enjoy a discount, quarterly journals and regular parties. No more fees will be charged.
Prices: The wide selection of wines determines the large and varied prices ranging from a few yuan to over hundreds of thousands.
If you want to drink wines in the cellar, you need to pay an extra RMB 50/bottle for service fees.
*Wine recommendations*
The wine consultant Ms. Annie Su gives some recommendations to wine tasters at different levels:
First try: Wines from the New World including Australia and Chile are first choices. The sweet and fruity taste will introduce you to the wine world.
Veteran: You can enjoy wines from old world countries such as France, Italy and Spain. The taste is strong and rich.
Gourmet: Wines from France and Burgundy are definite favorites.
*Tips for wine dealers:*
Reduction of Import Tariff: The Import tariff was adjusted from 44.6% to 14% in 2004, which greatly activated the Chinese wine market. At the same time, with the Chinese becoming more affluent, wine consumption has become fashionable. The wine market in China has great potential and awaits exploration.
Popular wines: Moderate priced wines at around RMB 300-500 are the most popular with local people. Chinese people enjoy sweet tastes, so Australian wine is welcomed here. Wine from Chile is also popular thanks to its cheap price and high quality.
*Local Wine dealers:*
Aussino Cellar
A. Ground Floor, 439 Tianhebei Road, Guangzhou
天河北路439号首层A铺
Tel.: 3881 1612, 3881 2603
Jointek Fine Wines 骏德酒业
Room E-105, Fortune Plaza, 7 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu
东三环中路7号财富中心E105室
Tel.: 6530-8608
Some supermarkets including Friendship Store
(Written by Helena Zhang and Alan Devey)
