"This is a small sample and the wine is inexpensive, but it is still a good sign for South African products," Boyce added.
And South Africa has another big selling point.
As part of the BRICS club of emerging economies (that include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), it is pushing for better trade agreements which will involve fewer taxes and lower prices on wine exports to China.
However, Li Deimei, a wine maker and professor at the Beijing University of Agriculture, said South African exporters to China - as small fish in a big pond - must move quickly to promote and market their products, as the country's appetite for wine continues to grow.
"I don't think South African wines are doing enough right now, and there should be more joint efforts involving the government, he added.
Since early 2000, the national wine associations of France, Italy and many other countries have set up offices in China. They have been involved in aggressive marketing campaigns and media initiatives to help consumers get to know their products better.
But experts suggest that South African wine makers still lack the official industry support they need to make serious inroads into China.
"South African wines do certainly have some great advantages over their competitors - the country has a 300-year-old wine-making history, a good climate and so on," said Li.
"But in today's market, to win over Chinese consumers is not just about who has the most products, it's about who can do the best job of promoting themselves."
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