This girl has it going on. Smart, intoxicating and driven in the wine world. Now the Chinese Ambassador of the luxury wine arm of LVMH, Emilie is making her mark.
Emilie Steckenborn makes a living where most of us can only dream—at the intersection of wine, culture, and cutting-edge business in China’s ever-evolving market. But don’t let her youthful charm and “very strong Chinese accent” (as Paul jokes) fool you. Emilie is a polyglot insider who’s spent over a decade breaking barriers in Shanghai, consulting for both airlines and luxury giants like LVMH, and unraveling the intricacies of food, wine, and social connection in the world’s most populous country. You will come away from this episode with a front-row seat to Emilie’s striking journey from Toronto to Asia’s fine wine circles, and you’ll learn how Western and Chinese culinary myths feed both perceptions and markets. She’ll shed light on why most "Chinese food" in North America bears little resemblance to dishes in Beijing or Guangzhou, how social media platforms like Xiaohongshu change what’s in your glass and on your plate, and why the Chinese DTC (direct-to-consumer) model leaves American wine buyers in the dust. You’ll also get a candid look at the role of women in China’s wine scene, why brand is king (or queen) from Yellowtail to Lafite, how fake wine scams erupt and vanish, and what it really takes to build—and protect—a luxury wine label in one of the world’s most challenging markets. Emilie’s passion for connection glues it all together, whether she’s navigating bottles at 50-table banquets or forging authentic stories through her own "Bottled in China" podcast. Expect to leave with a new appreciation for the complexities of selling, sharing, and savoring wine across cultures—and the secrets behind the conversations that only a great glass can unlock.
