Definition: China, red wine, happiness

This is why the Chinese government encourages the planting of new vineyards and provides financial support to many estates.

Although many joint ventures were created some twenty years ago, the majority of estates now belong to the state; foreign investors have gradually withdrawn (Pernod-Ricard, Castel, etc.).

Unfortunately, the commercial craze for wine in this country has led to mass production at the expense of quality. Furthermore, overly flexible legislation does not allow for improvement. For example, a wine labelled "Product of China" is often a blend of local and foreign wines (overproduction from Australia, Chile or France, etc.).

Fortunately, a few estates such as Dragon Seal are playing the "authenticity" card by producing 100% Chinese wines with good results!

The vastness of the country offers great opportunities and scope for experimentation thanks to its diverse terroirs.

Recently, for example, we have seen the production of ice wines. China therefore has assets that should not be overlooked. Given the distances between wine-growing areas and communication problems (few people speak English), we focused on visiting vineyards in the provinces of Shandong, Hebei and Beijing.

Located halfway between Shanghai and Beijing, bordered by the Yellow Sea, Shandong is one of the easternmost vineyards in the country. The vineyards are located around Qingdao and Yantai. Many varieties are grown here, such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Gernisht, in a fairly temperate climate with rainfall reaching 800 mm per year. Winters here are mild thanks to the maritime influence. In Yantai, we visit the Changyu estate, which opens the doors to its Vineyard Culture Museum, its huge cellar with over 200 steel vats and its château, which also contains a cellar for the vinification of its finest wines. In the evening, David, the export manager, takes us to taste his wines with seafood, a local speciality from the port of Yantai.

Hebei, south of Beijing, is a very humid (80-90% humidity!) and cooler area. These climatic conditions are not conducive to healthy vines and make the work of man important and difficult. Our visit to the Taillan estate, guided by its French director Alain Leroux, will introduce us to interesting wines made from Chardonnay and Malbec. Alain, with 11 years of experience in this country, will give us a rather mixed assessment of wine culture in China.

Finally, located in the province of Beijing but working with grapes from Huailai (150 km north-west of the capital), Dragon Seal and its oenologist Jérôme Sabaté will introduce us to its 100% Chinese wines. This former Pernod-Ricard joint venture impresses us with its dynamism, professionalism and promising wines.

In conclusion, this expanding market remains fragile. Wine is not yet part of everyday life and remains a luxury product. Consumption is mainly red wine, a colour that brings good luck in China. As for Chinese wine, we hope that legislation will be strengthened to ensure greater quality and authenticity.

After visiting the Chinese vineyards, we took a short trip to the Great Wall of China before flying to Sydney.