曾有人问马云，他是如何成为中国最富有的商人的。马云回答说，成功的秘诀在于投资年轻的以及成长中的企业。
Asked once about how he became China's richest businessman, Jack Ma said the secret to success was investing in young and up-and-coming ventures.
不过，这名身价亿万的互联网大亨也对历史悠久和尊贵的东西情有独钟。至少对于上好的葡萄酒是这样的。
However, the billionaire web tycoon also has a soft spot for the old and venerated - at least when it comes to fine wine.
近日，马云率领着一支庞大的中国队伍投资了高端的波尔多产区，以满足中国对顶级葡萄酒与日俱增的渴求，这一举动也迎合了法国计划挽回顶级酿酒区走下坡路现状的希望。
In a move that France hopes will reverse a slide in the fortunes of its top winemaking area, Mr Ma is leading a massive Chinese scramble to buy up dozens of high-end chateaux to satisfy his country's growing thirst for top vintages.
不仅仅是以2万英镑一瓶的价格抢购几箱拉菲庄园的名酒而已，马云还在上个月以1200万英镑的价格买下了地处两河流域的十六世纪建造的萨尔斯城堡。
Far from simply snapping up a few crates of Chateau Lafite Rothschild at 20,000 pound a bottle, Mr Ma shelled out 12m pound last month for the Chateau de Sours, an elegant 16th century estate in Entre-Deux-Mers.
更重要的是，在他最近访问法国的行程中，他还带了几个爱喝葡萄酒的亿万富翁朋友，他们现在计划购买至少该地区30座以上的葡萄酒庄园。
What is more, on his recent visit to France, he also brought along a few wine-drinking billionaire chums, who between them now plan to buy up at least 30 more of the region's wine houses.
这些交易对波尔多的酒商来说是一个千载难逢的机遇。因为酒商们去年在欧洲的销售量下滑了17％，他们面临着来自新世界产地--如加利福利亚和澳大利亚--的更便宜但品质同样上佳的葡萄酒的竞争。
The deals could not come at a better time for Bordeaux's wine makers, who saw sales slide by 17 per cent in Europe last year, and who are facing competition from cheaper - but equally delectable - New World rivals in California and Australia.
葡萄酒在富裕的新中国仍然是一个象征地位的饮品，一瓶顶级波尔多葡萄酒对于奢华的宴会来说，可比在乐购超市买来的一瓶价格实惠的智利酒要尊贵得多，虽然它们口味也相差无几。
For with wine still very much a status drink in newly-wealthy China, a bottle of top-end Bordeaux is likely to go down far better at a rich guest's dinner table than a more competitively priced Chilean from Tesco's - even if the taste difference is not that much.
“在中国，购买28英镑一瓶的进口葡萄酒的人数在过去三年已经从1700万人增长到3800万人，翻了一倍还多，”讲述中国对波尔多葡萄酒情有独钟的一本名为《渴望之龙》的书籍作者苏珊娜·玛斯塔希说。
"The number of Chinese who can afford to buy imported wine at say a Euro 28 per bottle has actually doubled in the past three years from 17 to 38 million," said Suzanne Mustacich, author of the book Thirsty Dragon: China's Lust for Bordeaux.
而提到对酒庄的收购，她表示：“这是保护财产的一种做法，他们认为这是一个安全的赌注，他们想要一座漂亮的建筑，想要一片历史的痕迹。这对于他们来说是一项巨大的购买奢侈品的行为。”
Speaking of the chateaux purchases, she added: "They're protecting their money, they see it as a safe bet and they want a beautiful building, a slice of history. It's a great bling purchase for them."