Wine has long held a prominent place in human culture - not just as a drink, but as a symbol, a tradition, and a catalyst for social interaction. Its significance stretches across centuries and civilizations, intertwining with religion, celebration, status, and community. Like coffee or tea, wine often facilitates conversation. It creates a relaxed atmosphere, lowers social barriers, and encourages connection. Whether at a formal tasting or a casual evening with friends, wine can serve as a common ground for sharing stories, ideas, and laughter. Wine has certainly helped me forge friendships during my travels abroad.

In the summer of 2019, I reconnected with an old university colleague who had since become a successful entrepreneur and passionate vineyard owner (left picture). Our encounter inspired me to deepen my understanding of winemaking and to better articulate wine styles and quality. On top of that, he seriously encouraged me to help promote his wines in Taiwan. And that's how it all began...

In February 2021, I received the first shipment of my friend's amazing wines from Austria. After weeks of negotiations, an importer in Taichung, Thirsty Scholar, agreed to add the wines to their portfolio. The number of Austrian wineries featured and promoted by Thirsty Scholar quickly grew from three to six, and an agreement was signed through my university's academic-enterprise cooperation program to support these wineries in their efforts to break into the Taiwanese wine market.

As part of the cooperation programme, wine tastings and food pairing events have been held regularly across Taiwan in recent years. These events have been co-sponsored by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board and the European Union. Participant feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. For many, it was their first time tasting Austrian wine, and they were pleasantly surprised by its exceptional quality and excellent value for money.

After completing Level 3 of the WSET in Wines, I decided to pursue the WSET Diploma. This advanced qualification offers a deeper understanding of how factors like wine production and business influence the style, quality, and pricing of wines. The program involves an in-depth study of numerous wine regions and helps refine your wine tasting skills to an expert level. However, it is an incredibly challenging journey...

Most of my hands-on experience comes from participating in wine tastings at Thirsty Scholar. I am frequently part of an evaluation panel that reviews sample wines from potential suppliers. The selection spans a wide range of wines from various regions across the globe, featuring both well-known producers and lesser-known names. Many producers showcase their wines online during these tastings, like in the photo on the left, where Anthony Hamilton Russell and his wife discuss their vineyards in the stunning, cool, martime Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. I particularly enjoy their Burgundy-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

In addition to promoting Austrian wines, I also serve as a representative and intermediary for Slovenian wines in Taiwan. The photo on the left was taken during a wine dinner featuring Marof Winery. Under the guidance of winemaker Uros Valcl (pictured on the left), the winery has brought the northeastern Slovenian region of Prekmurje into the spotlight for its wine excellence, after a long period of stagnation. Uros also led a masterclass at the Taiwan Wine Academy.

In my marketing courses, I increasingly focus on analyzing the Taiwanese wine market, which has emerged as one of the key growth areas for grape wine in Asia. Despite this growing demand, many restaurants and wine retailers struggle to meet the needs of consumers. To address this, I regularly develop case studies for class discussions. One such concept that often comes up is ESPlus (Extended Services Plus). This innovative business model is one of the more complex topics I cover with my students. ESPlus serves as a bridge between various stakeholders, providing services to importers, on-trade businesses, and end consumers alike.

Brief description of ESPlus in PDF.

The socio-economic significance of grape wine is a relatively recent development in East and Southeast Asia, while other alcoholic beverages have been central to the region's sociopolitical and economic evolution for over two centuries. Two books published by Routledge explore the roles of various stakeholders—such as the state, entrepreneurs, society, and foreign actors—and their motivations in regulating, producing, promoting, and consuming alcoholic beverages through different stages of history. I authored the Taiwan chapter in both of these publications.

Hooch and Hard Liquor in East Asia: A Political Economy (Routledge), 2025.

Beer in East Asia: A Political Economy (Routledge), 2023.

A video presentation of my book chapter is available here.

Transcript of the presentation in PDF.

The natural wine market in Asia has seen a notable rise in recent years, mirroring the growing global interest in sustainable, organic, and biodynamic winemaking. While wine consumption in Asia has traditionally leaned towards more established styles, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy, the natural wine movement is rapidly carving out a space for itself in the region, driven by a shift in consumer preferences toward more environmentally conscious and authentic products.

I have observed this trend not only in Taiwan but also in Japan and Thailand. I was able to convince Thirsty Scholar to add Ploder Wine, an outstanding natural wine producer from Austria, to its portfolio. The wines have quickly gained popularity among natural wine enthusiasts in Taiwan. Currently, I am planning a comparative research project on the consumption of natural wine across Asia.