Tokyo-headquartered Enoteca has reopened its 75 m² wine store in China’s eastern Suzhou after months of renovation, as it plans expansion to tap into wine consumption power of the affluent city of 13 million people.

The wine store situated on the first basement floor of a mega commercial complex, the Suzhou Jiuguang Department Store, is officially open on August 1 and will offer around 500 SKUs and lifestyle experiences of wine, as well as a cafe and bar space, the Japanese company has announced in a press release.

After the reopening, the shop will now offer around 500 SKUs of wine, from affordable daily drinking wins of RMB100 to carefully selected premium wines across the world. According to the company, the shop specializes on imported wines in the middle-range price, from RMB 300 to 500, including those from the New World, to fulfill various and detailed customer’s requests.

Enoteca's revamped wine and lifestyle experience shop in Suzhou (pic: handout)

Enoteca’s revamped wine and lifestyle experience shop in Suzhou (pic: handout)

Suzhou just one hour away from Shanghai has around 13 million people and is ranked China’s 6th largest economic city in GDP. The company’s shop has been offering wine, mainly of Bordeaux, France, to the regional customers since its opening in November 2011.

At the newly added in-shop café & bar space, it offers by the glass programs for wine lovers to taste a variety of wines from daily drinking wines to premium bottles. Customers who purchased wines in the shop can also enjoy the bottle at the café & bar space with no corkage fee.

According to the company, the space will also be used to host regular seminar events on wine, as it aims to become an experience-based shop that introduces rich wine culture.

In addition, the shop features a 7.5 m2 century cellar which displays 150 bottles of wine containing rare wines, back vintages and many premium Bordeaux wines priced above RMB1,000.

Founded in 1988, Enoteca has grown to be a leading wine retailer in Asia. Bought by Asahi in 2015, Enoteca today has over 60 stores within Japan and expanded its presence across Asia with wine stores operating in Hong Kong, mainland China, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and most recently Thailand.

It operates 13 wine shops (including 2 franchise shops and 2 corner shops) in the rapidly growing Chinese market.

The company achieved total sales revenue of US$400 million, making it the second largest wine group in Japan but the No.1 wine merchant in fine wine category.