Chinese wine influencer with 2.9M followers faces smuggling trial
What's the deal? Beijing's Fourth Intermediate People's Court on September 1, 2026, opened a public trial of Beijing Zui'eniang Wine CoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and an individual identified as Li over alleged smuggling of ordinary goods. The company was built around wine influencer Wang Shenghan, known online as "Zui'eniang," or "Drunk Goose Lady."
By the numbers: Zui'eniang's sales topped ¥350 million in 2020, according to Jiemian NewsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. That December, the company closed a Series A round worth tens of millions of yuan, backed by Fengtu CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What the company does: Founded in May 2017, Zui'eniang grew from short-form wine content into a branded drinks business. Nearly 70% of its beverages come from in-house labels, including budget red wines, sparkling wines, and craft fruit beers. It sells through a monthly subscription membership, online audio courses, and offline classes.
How it got here: Wang first went viral in 2012 with videos parodying overseas Chinese students while studying history at Brown UniversityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. She later trained in wine management at Le Cordon BleuDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → in France, returned to China in 2014, and built a following of more than six million by demystifying wine. As of September 2, 2026, her DouyinDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → account had 2.936 million followers.
An important caveat: The court's listed charge of "smuggling ordinary goods" is the case's cause of action, not a conviction. Public materials have not disclosed the goods involved, the amounts, the taxes allegedly evaded, or the trial outcome. The company has not formally responded.
Prior disputes: Before this criminal case, Zui'eniang's controversies centred on commercial competition. In a commercial disparagement suit, it was ordered to delete an infringing negative review, apologise publicly, and pay a total of ¥120,000. A 2023 regulatory decision fined it ¥200,000 for unfair competition through commercial disparagement.
Who's exposed? The brand carried a strong personal-IP identity from the start, with Wang handling content while the company ran products, channels, and supply chains. The company is named in the court notice alongside "Li," but no first-hand material confirms whether that individual is Wang. Investors have not issued a public statement on the case.
The signal: Wine content commerce was among the most visible businesses on China's social platforms — a phone, a table, and a few explained bottles turning personal expression into sales. Zui'eniang's trajectory from ¥350 million in annual sales to a defendant's seat shows how quickly a founder-led brand's public narrative can shift, well before courts settle the facts.
Image credit: Robert Scoble
