Tomich Wines Opens Third Cellar Door in China

Tomich Wines is about to open its third cellar door in China following the success of its two others in Shanghai in Chengdu. The Adelaide Hills winery has increased its sales fivefold since opening its first cellar door in the country in 2012.

Owner Randal Tomich told a South Australian news site that having a cellar door in China has allowed the winery to meet directly with its customers and build relationships with local businesses.

“A-grade distributors set up their own cellar door and they get preferential pricing and have the licence to sell the Tomich branded product exclusively in that province,” he said.

“It’s a win-win. I get the secure customer, I get my brand integrity and they get excellent quality wines at prices they wouldn’t be able to achieve elsewhere.

“By moving to the cellar door model there they are actually committed to the product.”

Research released last year by the University of South Australia’s Ehrenberg-Bass Institute found that consumers were more likely to buy wine from a cellar door they had visited.

“The cellar door can give the brand a good story if those who visit and taste the wine have had a good, authentic and memorable experience. People who visit a cellar door also become more educated about the wine region and this increases the consumption of wines of that origin,” Lead Researcher Professer Johan Bruwer said.

China now represents a third of Tomich Wines’ total production and this only looks to grow further with plans currently in place to open two more cellar doors in Beijing and Jinan.

“China’s all about meeting people, building partnerships, building trust and all those basic elements that are that are the same all over the world,” Tomich added.

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