Producers of red wine are on a winner in China

Red is a lucky colour at this time of year – indeed people born in the Year of the Horse are supposed to wear red underwear all year to stave off bad luck.

It's also a lucky colour in China for winegrowers.

Last year China became the world’s biggest consumer of red wine, out-tippling even the French for the first time.

China, including Hong Kong, drank 1.865 billion bottles of red wine last year, which in trade terms adds up to 155 million nine-litre cases, knocking France into second place with 150 million cases of red wine last year, and Italy in third place, having drunk 141 million cases.

Surging wealth
Time was when wine was a rare commodity in the world's second largest economy, but surging wealth has translated into serious demand for wine.

Especially red wine because the red colour is very auspicious.

Wine consumption in China has increased by 136 per cent over the past five years, a study by the wine and spirits trade association Vinexpo and a British international wine and spirit research think-tank has shown.

"There has been a real change in the Chinese mentality. Vineyards are being planted in a massive way and the distribution network has multiplied," said Guillaume Deglise, the director general of Vinexpo.

The study also showed that the banqueter's favourite, baijiu, a white Chinese spirit distilled from sorghum, rice or wheat that contains about 38 per cent alcohol, remains the world's most consumed liquor.

Five years
The biggest consumer of wine is still the United States, and its red wine consumption is expected to jump 14 per cent in the next five years, the study found.

Overall global consumption continues to increase. Between 2008 and 2012 it grew 3.23 per cent, and is expected to jump another 4.97 per cent by 2017.

Vodka consumption has dropped 6 per cent over the past five years, mainly due to less of it being drunk in Russia.