The Italian connection

Gaia Gaja thinks Italian wines are perfect for the Chinese palate.

"People today mostly pay attention to loud voices and high tones, not to whispers," says Gaja, a fifth-generation winemaker from the Gaja winery in Italy's Piedmont region.

"Nebbiolo, Italy's local grape varietal, is low-note, and will take some effort to be made beautiful." By high note wines, Gaja refers to wines with a lot of perfume, and powerful alcohol.