Liquor
Liquor prices have been rising as the country's booming middle class cashes in on bonded Moutai, China's national liquor, which is served at official occasions and state banquets. It's also a hot auction item alongside antiques and art pieces.
Over one hundred bottles of bonded Moutai were sold for a total of 5.2 million yuan ($791,000) at a liquor auction held in Shanghai in February.
The auctioned items were mostly brewed in the 1970s and 1980s, and have been collected by individuals. The costliest item at Sunday's auction was a bottle of Five Star Moutai, bottled in 1955, that listed for about 1.3 million yuan ($201,000).
However, industry experts have warned investors of the considerable risks surrounding Moutai's soaring popularity and high auction prices.
Hao Jingshan, standing director of a collection association in northeast China's Jilin Province, said there are criteria that must be applied before buying such pricey wine. "Citizens without professional skills should be cautious in collecting Moutai," he suggested.
