Vineyard view of the Napa Valley appellation in California, America's most famous wine region. Photo provided to China Daily

Nevertheless, it has been only in recent years that wine connoisseurs in China have begun to avert their eyes and noses from the undoubted attractions of French wines, discovering that their Californian counterparts can match the world's best. Last month, representatives of 14 California wineries came to China to meet wine professionals and wine lovers, holding a series of tastings and seminars in Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing and Shanghai. The aim was to promote Napa Valley, now the most celebrated wine-producing region of the United States.

"Many Napa Valley wineries attach great importance to increasing the visibility of our wines in China," said Vivien Gay, international sales manager of Silver Oak Cellars, one of the vintners on the tour.

Why haven't Napa Valley wines already built a bigger following in China? Lu Jiang, a Beijing wine critic and consultant, said that not only have they been under-promoted, their competitors have been more wily.

"Vintners from other countries such as Australia, France and New Zealand are much more active in promoting their wines here."

Lu said he set up his own company, Wine Online Culture, to promote wine culture in China 10 years ago.

Pascal Xue, cellar manager of a Tianjin importer, Cave D'emma, said: "Since 2007 we have imported mostly French and other Old World wines, but we are now looking for potential vintners from Napa Valley to work with.

"Napa wines are generally fruitier and sweeter, and that's more to the liking of Chinese palates."