UK AND JAPAN: TWO IMPORTANT MARKETS FOR THE WINE WORLD, NOT KEY SIZE WISE, BUT HIGHLY CONSIDERED. DAVID PEARSON (OPUS ONE) AND ANGELO GAJA EXPLAIN WHY

The UK and Japan are two important markets for the wine world. Even though they are not key size wise, they must be held in the highest regard, as they are trendsetters in two macro areas - Europe and Asia. David Pearson, CEO of Opus One label, symbol of California viticulture, and Angelo Gaja, the "king" of Barbaresco explain why.

Pearson says that for Europe "the great wines of the world are to be found in London". The City has always been an essential showcase for fine wines, as well as historical forerunner of fashion and trends in all sectors.
Regarding Asia instead Pearson adds, there is much talk about Hong Kong and China, as if there were no other countries, but looking deeper, the reality is that Japan is "a fantastic market, that we have been on for a long time".
And, Angelo Gaja’s reflection on Japan is quite interesting. Returning from one of his many trips to the Land of the Rising Sun, he said, "Japan is the Asian country with the highest consumption of wine per year / per capita, more than 2.6 liters and the tendency is growth. Italian wine has a great image and price position. There are numerous importers and among them also those who import Italian wines produced by small-medium sized artisan firms. The Japanese are professionals, they know how bottles of wine should be stored and how it should be promoted, and they pay on time".

And the cultural exchange between Italian cuisine and Japanese chefs. “Among the forty-fifty year old Japanese restaurants serving Italian cuisine, many have moved and expanded their activities to other Asian countries, such as China, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and so on, helping to spread the culture of Italian food and wine in those nations. It is also admirable that young people have the opportunity, once they have completed school, to work abroad (if they cannot find work in their own country) to gain experience, increase professionalism, learn languages and invest in the sector in which they desire to work”.