Winemakers from East and West converge on Chengdu

New Chinese wineries courted the media for attention. Wine associations organized tastings to introduce the latest wines. Wine merchants invited clients to dine at many of the city's gourmet restaurants, taking the time not just to sell, but also to socialize.

The 90th China Food and Drinks Fair created plenty of buzz in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, during the last week of March. Old and new powers of the wine industry made an appearance at the fair - testimony to the growing strength of the Chengdu market area.

The loudest buzz reverberated from Chengdu to California: the Robert Mondavi Winemaker announced an alliance with the Chinese giant Vats Liquor that aims to make the Napa Valley winery "the No 1 premium wine brand in China".