(Wines&Vines) - Foreign nationals, immigrants and international companies have long invested in Napa Valley and the U.S. wine businesses. While the Japanese economy boomed at home, several Japanese-owned companies invested in the North American wine trade in the 1980s, and the 21st century has seen buyers from China, Vietnam, South Korea and other Asian countries.

Recently, two high-end wineries with Chinese ties opened new tasting rooms in Napa Valley, prompting the question: Is Chinese ownership of North American wineries on the rise?