China wine watch cont. (Suntime department)

(Update below.) As mentioned frequently before, I have found the Xinjiang-based Suntime wine a promising alternative to the dismal Great Wall etc. Two updates: The Suntime cabernet that I thought cost 55RMB (about $7.40) at the local Carrefour actually goes for 48RMB ($6.50). All the more appealing! At the same store, just saw this offer of two bottles of Suntime "Manas Red" for a total of 33RMB, less than $4.50 or $2.25 per bottle. Well see. The promotional label says �–°天�‘�萄�…�, Xintian Putaojiu, literally "New Day Wine," which is Suntime's name in Chinese. Again, we'll see. Update: Well, now I've seen.This wine is quite harsh and not nice to drink. I leave to utilitarian philosophers the question of whether, at $2.25 a bottle, it's still in some sense a good deal.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2007/12/china-wine-watch-cont-suntime-department/7862/