Oregon Public Broadcasting

An Oregon team has a deal they hope will give Northwest wines a toe-hold in China.

The state-sponsored trade mission reached an agreement with the Hong Kong Commerce and Economic Development Bureau. The deal involves outreach, with trade fairs and education seminars. It's jointly funded by Oregon, Washington and Hong Kong.

The arrangement will also expedite the customs process that sometimes slows the entry of Western products into the Chinese market.

So far, only about ten Oregon vintners have been able to crack the Hong Kong market. One of them is Doyle Hinman of Henry Estate Winery. He says barriers for winemakers have been tough.

Doyle Hinman: "The biggest thing has been pricing, pricing, and also pricing."In 2008, Hong Kong got rid of a tax on wine imports, but Hinman says a value-added tax remains for mainland China. The vintners who have had some success in China have done it the hard way, visiting repeatedly, building relationships with importers and distributors. Hinman says there's no question the new agreement will be helpful, but says winemakers still have their work cut out for them.