London-based private members’ wine club 67 Pall Mall is set to open its first mainland China location this December in Shanghai’s former French Concession. The new venue, housed in the historic Grand Mansion on Donghu Road, reflects a broader global trend toward wine consumption over spirits, according to founder Grant Ashton.
Ashton attributes this shift to changing drinking habits among younger generations, who generally consume less alcohol overall. He notes that wine holds appeal as an intermediate choice, with an alcohol by volume (ABV) typically between 12 and 14 percent—significantly lower than spirits, which often range around 40 percent ABV. “Wine is halfway down to zero,” Ashton explained, placing it on a spectrum between strong distilled beverages and non-alcoholic drinks. He sees younger consumers gravitating toward wine as a “sweet spot,” sometimes viewing it as their initial indulgence before reducing alcohol intake further.
Declining alcohol use among younger adults supports this observation. Research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine indicates that alcohol consumption among Gen Z adults aged 18 to 29 dropped by over 5 percent between 2022 and 2024. Ashton anticipates a similar trend in China, where sales of traditional baijiu—a potent spirit with 40 to 60 percent ABV—have decreased, particularly among younger drinkers who often associate it with previous generations.
The Shanghai club will occupy Grand Mansion, a French Renaissance-style building dating back to 1925. The site has a layered history, including serving as Japanese military headquarters during World War II, hosting Russian and American commercial offices, and functioning as a government reception venue where former U.S. President Richard Nixon and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo met with Chinese leaders. The building had operated as a restaurant until 2015 before standing vacant for several years. Ashton embraced the location’s heritage, including its underground cellars, to create a venue steeped in storytelling and historic character—a hallmark of the 67 Pall Mall brand seen in its London and Singapore clubs.
Since its 2015 founding in London, the club has emphasized curated wine experiences and the cultivation of knowledgeable sommeliers. The London club sits in a repurposed former bank building with a rich history dating back to 1720. In Singapore, the club occupies a former film mogul Runme Shaw’s penthouse, incorporating cinematic artifacts to connect with local heritage.
The Shanghai outpost will feature an extensive wine list of approximately 6,000 labels from 45 countries, including some 1,000 Chinese wines. Following the established model, regional producers are shareholders in the club, supporting a diverse range of offerings. Technologies like Coravin, which enable pouring wine without removing the cork, will allow 67 Pall Mall to offer around 1,000 wines by the glass, encouraging customers to try lesser-known bottles at an accessible price point.
Ashton also noted parallel developments in India, where whisky dominates nearly half of the market. He foresees significant growth potential if wine consumption there were to increase from 5 percent to 10 percent, impacting a population of 1.4 billion. Similar growth opportunities may exist in China as younger consumers continue shifting preferences from high-alcohol spirits to wine.