Creating a Chilean Brand for China (2011-)
We worked with Anakena winery and the Center for Aromas and Flavors, a research unit of Catholic University of Chile (CUC), to create a wine brand for China. Experts in Beijing judged China’s top brands and the winning wines went to CUC for chemical analysis. Eight prototypes were then blended using Anakena wine and evaluated by experts and consumers in China. We used the feedback to create Don Jorge Family, a brand we registered in China in 2015 and have sold via a China Agricultural University team since 2016.
Assisting the Weiyuan Fig Industry (2012-)
I have been helping government and industry in Weiyuan County in Sichuan province to develop the fig industry. This includes research, on-site visits and helping Weiyuan connect to global scientists and organizations, with leading researchers attending the county’s annual fig festival. I have been also done research involving figs in Shandong province and help manage a greenhouse in Hebei province, a project that goes beyond fig research to understanding how best to package and market the final product.
Pairing Portuguese Wine with China (2013-2014)
We did face-to-face interviews with importers of Portuguese wine in Shanghai. The topics include basic company info, knowledge of Portuguese wines, relationships with producers in Portugal, and more. This gave us a snapshot of importer attitudes to help identify Portuguese wines best suited for China. I traveled to Lisbon to pick wines to exhibit in China and present to potential importers.
Studying Vineyard Applications of Tyvek® (2013-)
In cooperation with Skyline Winery in Xinjiang and Dupont in the United States, this project tests the reflective material Tyvek®. While Tyvek® has been used for table grape vineyards to improve fruit color, this project focuses on wine grapes, with partial vineyard canopies used during veraison to slow sugar accumulation.
Evaluating a Winery Purchase in Australia (2013)
This project involved preparing background info on wineries in Australia for a purchasing team that included legal, financial and architectural experts. The team visited candidate wineries in Australia to determine wine stock and brand value, participate in acquisition negotiations, and ultimately buy a winery.
Assessing ADB Loan Risk in Ningxia (2012-2013)
On behalf of the Asian Development Bank, I evaluated the risk of vineyard disease, notably trunk disease, as part of the approval of a USD90 million load to Ningxia Agricultural Reclamation Group to promote wine grape development. All key vineyards were visited and sampled in Ningxia to provide a general disease risk assessment.
