Art De Vivre (II of II)
Benjamen and Mathilde continue exploring the intersection between France and China over wine. In this installment they traverse China talking with winemakers, wine enthusiasts and drinkers to find out what the emerging middle class of China, one of the most powerful forces on Earth, wants from a bottle of wine. Plus Your host is forced to defend his working methods and his beliefs in the art of living well.
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2 comments on Art De Vivre (II of II)
I think this series about the Chinese and French wine are off the mark. My belief is that the Chinese don’t like French wine because of it’s heritage, laid back culture, or anything other reason you theorize. They like French wine because it’s a symbol of class, and as a relatively homogeneous culture (as most east Asian societies are) they like French wine because that’t the thing to like these days, and also the fact most average Chinese have been poor and closed off to the rest of the world for two generations. It’s no different than the Korea obsession with camping, and before that photography, etc. Hobbies and interested come and go in cultural waves. The it “thing” could have just as easily been British tea cups, but by no means is that a reflection of their aspiration to adopt those cultural elements of the British. It just happens to be what’s hot. French wine just happens to be relatively tasty and it gives you a buzz, and what’s hot right now in China.
The show just keeps getting better and better, it’s my favorite podcast now out of a rolling rotation of 20. Thank you so much. BTW what’s the best way to donate directly, is it through PRX or Radiotopia or is there another way?