Category Archives: China

Wine regions of China: Ningxia

wine making in China is mainly located in the north, especially in Ningxia. If you think of China as a country that produces only rice wine, it’s time to expand your horizons. Although the main wine-making regions are located in the north, primarily in Ningxia, winemaking has been taking place on Chinese soil since the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). There were two attempts by the French to introduce and develop the tradition of viniculture in China. The first attempt was between 1892 and 1895 during the Qing Dynasty, resulting in little success. However, this second attempt was… Read more

Wine regions of China: Yunnan

Yunnan wine is produced in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan. Yunnan wine is produced in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan. The province shares a border with Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar and is not far from the Tibetan plateau. This geographical location helps to explain one of the most interesting facts about Yunnan and that is that it has a remarkable ethnic diversity for such a small place. The Yunnan region is home to 25 different officially recognized nationalities, some of whom are amongst China’s smallest groups, numbering merely in the thousands (the Wa Nationality for example) but also… Read more

Wine regions of China: Shaanxi

Introduction Shaanxi is a perfect place to explore wines from China’s Hebei and Anhui provinces. Most of the grapes grown here are Chenghua, a red grape with a spicy taste that is one of the most popular varieties in China. While it’s not yet famous, it’s gaining popularity all over the country. The climate here is moist and mild, which makes it ideal for growing vines of all kinds. The soil also provides good nutrition for plants, including grapes. Location The province of Shaanxi is located along the northwestern bend of the Huang He (Yellow River), which brings with it… Read more

Wine regions of China: Hebei

The Hebei region borders Beijing to the north and Tianjin to the southeast. Hebei province is located in the north of China and borders Beijing to the north and Tianjin to the southeast. The city of Beijing is located within the Hebei province and is known as the capital city of China, as well as being one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China (the other three are Nanjing, Luoyang and Kaifeng). Tianjin is also one of four municipalities directly under the central government’s administration (the other three are Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing) with a population surpassing 10 million.… Read more

Wine regions of China: Shandong

Shandong, at a glance Shandong is the region that will get you the most bang for your buck if you’re planning on buying wine. From a climate perspective, Shandong is in a band of warm, dry weather patterns known as a “monsoonal microclimate.” The summers are fairly comfortable, with little to no humidity and plenty of sunshine. The winter is also enjoyable thanks to its mild temperatures, great winds and even better wines. In regards to grapes, there are actually two varieties of grapes used in Shandong—the Bohea and the Yancha. Both are in part responsible for the wonderful red… Read more

Wine regions of China: Hong Kong

China is not a big wine producer It’s commonly believed that China is a large wine producer. In reality, it’s the world’s eighth largest producer, and the amount of wine produced in China is around 1 percent of all the wine produced in the world. Hong Kong has an advantage over Mainland China when it comes to producing wines. The country is a major consumer of wine, but most of its wine is imported from other countries like France and Spain. There are not many famous Chinese wines, so if you’d like to taste what China produces, head to one… Read more