An expert on the wine industry in China says the booming Asian nation doesn't have the economic answer vineyards are looking for.
But Fongyee Walker says those looking at building their market presence in China will do so with personal visits and leverage on New Zealand's reputation for purity.
Walker was guest judge for the Hawkes Bay A & P Mercedes Benz Wine Awards, a parochial competition among local wineries.
She said she found interest in China had grown in intensity, particularly since the global financial crisis.
"People are looking to China as an end-all solution to the wine industry's problems. I spend a lot of time telling people to calm down."