No corks, no vintages and no grapes? Chen Weiran, founder of Beijing’s Wine Room, on the future of wine
We live in an era of rapid change. Everything from our climate to our consumer habits is fast evolving and wine cannot be made, packaged and sold the way it is now for much longer. But in order for the industry to change, it needs some innovators to lead the way.
Beijing-based Chen Weiran is one of them. Her CV is an impressive one, including WSET diplomas, a Bourgogne Wine Instructor certificate (she is one of only 10 people in China to have this hanging on her wall), and much more. She is also the founder of the Wine Room, which holds Beijing’s most prestigious wine events, talks, dinners and lectures, and provides Chinese consumers with an easy way to understand the industry.
Weiran first fell in love with wine after she accompanied her father on business trips and would pick the labels off wine bottles because she thought they were beautiful. She studied at the China Foreign Affairs University, and while her fellow students pursued a life of diplomacy and international relations, she decided that wine was the easiest way for her to create a bridge between China and the rest of the world.