Handsome female winemaker Liu Fanghua: Asians face discrimination in the world of wine

▲ Liu Fanghua, who has a delicate appearance, is the first Australian-Taiwanese woman to obtain the WSET Advanced sommelier certification and also the winemaker at Australia’s Hunter Valley Tcilk Estate. (ETtoday News Cloud reminds you that excessive drinking is harmful to health)

Reported and photographed by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

China Airlines recently announced that, for a limited time, it will offer Shiraz red wine and Antigo sparkling wine from Australia's Hunter Valley Tcilk Estate in first and business class. The mastermind behind this winery is actually Taiwanese winemaker Liu Fanghua.

Liu Fanghua, who had been living in Taipei, completed her university education in New Zealand from 1993 to 1997. She initially got exposed to wine through some specialized courses in wine business management during her studies.

Liu Fanghua, who once worked as a flight attendant, initially had little interest in wine. But after immigrating to Sydney with her husband, Lee Wu-da, she discovered a strong sensitivity and memory for red wine through school courses and casual drinking in daily life.

Liu Fanghua recalls that when tasting wine, she could always remember whether she had tried the same wine before or roughly distinguish differences between various types of red wine. She even felt moved to tears when tasting wines that hadn’t been treated well. This keen sensitivity and rich emotional response became the foundational keys to her career shift into winemaking.

▲ The Shiraz red wine (right) produced by Liu Fanghua once won a silver medal at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Competition.

As the door to the world of wine gradually opened for Liu Fanghua, she first obtained the UK WSET Advanced sommelier certification, becoming the first Australian-Taiwanese woman to do so. She then pursued further studies in viticulture and oenology. After investing in a winery in Australia’s Hunter Valley together with her husband, Lee Wu-da, Liu Fanghua created her own brand “Tcilk Estate” and, along with her winemaking team, dedicated herself to crafting fine wines that appeal to wine lovers.

In the winemaking process, apart from understanding the characteristics and elements of grapes and terroir, there’s also a lot of physically demanding work, which is why there are relatively fewer female winemakers. Liu Fanghua revealed that in the Australian wine industry, Asian women are more likely to face discrimination.

Liu Fanghua pointed out that Australian winemakers often have stereotypical views of Asians, believing that wine made by Asians can only cater to Asian palates and cannot meet the standards of the global market.

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