Out now: the latest issue of The Drinks Business Asia
In The Drinks Business Asia December/January issue, we ask the important questions: namely, what did 2025 mean for fine wine trading?, what does the word ‘luxury’ mean around the world? and where should you be heading to try out Asia’s hottest bars?
I’d like to believe that the majority of sane people agree with me when I say: I hate Christmas music. There’s nothing worse than walking unassumingly into a supermarket only to be accosted by the harsh sound of jingling bells, or the festive warbling of a particular jazz crooner (I trust we all know who I mean). Let’s face it; very few Christmas songs are actually good. If they were, why would we deny ourselves their wonder for the rest of the year?
Yet, each December, it starts again. The CD is slotted back into the player, which groans in its old age. The Spotify playlist is put on shuffle. The merry partygoer, decked in tinsel and a Santa hat, belts the words of a classic number on the way home from the office shindig. I block my ears.
By no means am I a Scrooge about all things Christmas. Far from it. Give me the drinks around the fire, the big family feast and the dazzling lights any day. This year, in particular, I have vowed not to miss a festive second.
Perhaps my determination to celebrate is a way to look on the bright side; to drown out the negative. As we come to the end of the year, there’s no denying 2025 has been rough for many. Each December we publish the Power List 100 compiled by Liv-ex – and this year’s report described the fine wine market as ice cold in 2025 (pp36-49). Against this backdrop, I say yes to the joy that festive traditions can bring.
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And it’s not all doom and gloom. The world of fine wine may be changing, but there continues to be bright spots around the globe. To find them, I spoke to key players in burgeoning and established regions to see where the thirst for luxury is growing (pp50-57), and to ask the question: what does the word ‘luxury’ actually mean to different people in different places?
Elsewhere, we uncover the trends driving success for Asia’s best bars. Drinks venues are no longer just a precursor to dinner plans; they’re becoming the centrepiece for a good night out. Which are the ones to watch? Find out on pages 68-71.
And in a bid to discover what’s hot in China’s winemaking scene right now, we take a deep dive into the country’s Marselan production: who is planting it; where it grows best; and whether it really deserves to be the flagship Chinese grape variety (pp62-67).
The days of believing in Santa Clause are long gone for me, but I still believe in the magic of Christmas, if only because it gives me an excuse to spend time with family and friends. And as we head past December into the new year, who knows, there may be a brighter future waiting for us just around the corner.
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