Jancis is the genie of the wine bottle

British Master of Wine Jancis Robinson says she's surprised the Chinese market seems to focus almost solely on red wines.

"One of the most interesting things about wine is variety," she says.

The Chinese emphasis on Cabernet and Merlot runs contrary to what she's seen globally, in which people are turning more toward light and refreshing white wines, which are easier to pair with foods.

Robinson made the comments during her recent trip to Beijing, part of a book promotion tour for her best-seller, World Atlas of Wine.

The first simplified Chinese version of the book, co-authored by Hugh Johnson, is slated for release in May. The current Atlas is the sixth edition of the tome, which was first published in 1971 and is revised every five years. It is published in 14 languages and has sold more than 4 million copies.

Robinson came to China at the invitation of ASC Fine Wines, following a tour route passing through Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, where she has staged tastings and dinners emphasizing wine pairing.

She writes daily for www.jancisrobinson.com and weekly for the Financial Times. Her only consultancies are with British Airways and Her Majesty the Queen. The ASC media release dubbed Robinson, who was awarded a Master of Wine in 1984, the "first lady of wine".

Robinson visited Chinese vineyards, including Suntime, and Grace. It's her fourth visit to China and her third to Beijing.

She also explains the Chinese market has been slower to switch to lighter bottles but believes this will soon change.

"Back in the first years I wrote about wine, people (in the West) said, 'They (Easterners) will never start drinking wine'. How wrong was that?"

Jancis Robinson's wine reviews can also be found at CellarTracker.com.