Dacheng Advises Ningxiahong Group in Acquisition of Societé Les 3 Collines Chateau in Bordeaux, France

Recently, Shi Wanlin, Dacheng senior partner and head of the French office, led attorneys in Paris and Beijing in advising Ningxiahong Group on acquiring Societé Les 3 Collines Chateau in Bordeaux, France. Their counsel ranged from law, commerce to red wine culture.
 
Societé Les 3 Collines grows three kinds of grapes, namely, Merlot, Carbernet Sauvignon and Carbernet Franc. Its red wine products are branded Chateau du Grand Moueys and Chateau du Piras with appellation d’orgine controllee (French certificate of origin). Ningxiahong Group is also highly experienced in red wine making, and has been looking for a suitable target for acquisition in Europe. The acquisition in question includes the vineyard, production facilities, workshops, cellars, intangible assets (such as trademarks) and liquid assets such as inventory and dry goods.
 
This recent acquisition is the single largest international winery purchase in the China’s private capital market, and will accelerate the Sino-France cooperation and exchanges of fruit wine brewing techniques and talents, increase the core competitiveness of Ningxiahong, develop its medium- and high-end markets and ultimately create an access to the international market.
 
On February 17, 2012, Sud-Ouest, one of the three most prominent newspapers in France, conducted a special report on the acquisition titled “The Chinese Are Unnerving the French Vinery Owners”, which says, “Zhang Jinshan, 48, head of the Ningxiahong Group and the new owner of Chateau du Grand Moueys, gleams as the group completes its first international acquisition. Meanwhile, he also has grand plans for the future of the winery. He hopes to utilize the existing retail network and a new wine import/export company in Gironde province to sell 90% of the winery’s products to China, while combining with winery-tourism to attract more Chinese tourists to France. Indeed, it is this businessman who hopes to use his knowledge in production to boost domestic growth that is unnerving the French winery owners. Yet, the participation of Chinese businessmen is an extraordinary opportunity for the world’s wine industry”.