Chinese Wine Company Launches New Wine Fundamentals Program, Organizes Sales by Vinotype

    HANGZHOU, CHINA, August 22, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Blossom Group, a Chinese wine import, hotel, construction and trading corporation, launched wine education programs for the Chinese wine trade last week with a series of seminars by Tim Hanni, Master of Wine and expert on consumer palatal preferences. Nearly one hundred professionals, from across China and even Mongolia, participated in the three day certificate course, "which captured the understandable differences between the personal flavor preferences of the Chinese and New and Old World wine products," Hanni said.

The American Winery Culture Education Association, a Blossom subsidiary, recognized that the Chinese palate represents the two most bitter-sensitive segments of the four Vintoype groups, the Sweet and Hypersensitive, versus the current focus on high prestige, strong red wines that appeal to Sensitive and Tolerant segments. Hanni led the group through tastings from many regions by style and flavor rather than country by country. "The reactions of the participants clearly demonstrates a need to differentiate between the prestige red wines, used in ceremonial toasting and dominating the headlines, versus high-quality wines that are essentially smooth, rich and that the Chinese find much more delicious."

"The other opportunity is to recognize that wine and food pairing needs to be completely revised. Rather than dogmatically saying 'Chinese food doesn't go with wine' we used the New Wine Fundamentals Flavor Balancing concept to demonstrate that we can train wine professionals to direct consumers to wines they will really enjoy and demonstrated that these wines taste wonderful with the foods they really eat day in and day out," Hanni said. The Flavor Balancing principles have been endorsed and adopted by the Wine & Spirits Education Trust in London, and have been used by Hanni to promote a more realistic approach to enjoying wine, and wine with food, in Turkey and throughout North America.

ABOUT TIM HANNI, MW
Master of Wine, Certified Wine Educator
Wine Industry Faculty Sonoma State University

Tim Hanni is an internationally renowned 'flavor maven.' A professionally-trained chef, he is one of the first two resident Americans to successfully complete the examination and earn the title Master of Wine. He is a Certified Wine Educator accredited by the Society of Wine Educators. He has been involved with wine- and food-related businesses, education and research for over thirty-five years. Hanni has a unique perspective on food and wine, providing a modern and innovative approach to the subject.

His techniques for creating easy to use wine lists and retail wine programs are combined with tried and tested culinary philosophies on "balancing" food and wine flavors. These techniques are employed by thousands of restaurants and hotel outlets around the world and have provided the foundation for Napa Seasoning Company's unique new product Vignon , the first Flavor Balancing Seasoning designed to simplify food preparation. Hanni is recognized for introducing the concept of the "umami" taste phenomenon to the wine and food community. He has lectured in over 27 countries around the world on the topics of flavor balancing, sensory sciences, wine and culinary history.

For more information, reach Tim Hanni at www.timhanni.com.

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