Famous for its purchasing power in the red wine market, China’s love for great red wines has made the information with its astronomical figures of white wine consumption. Nonetheless, the tides are turning– the news and also buzz now adhere to China’s white wine manufacturers rather than their consumers. In fact, China is among the fastest growing manufacturers of white wine and it is now the 7th largest red wine producing country worldwide!
Why should you care about these growths? The evidence is accumulating that China’s wine industry is set to be the next huge thing in wine, with stats stating that China will become the second biggest white wine producer on the planet, going beyond France, if the rate of vine growing in China continues.
Today there are around 450 vineyards in China that produce 1.2 billion litres of white wine each year. In comparison, France, the top red wine generating country, generates 4.2 billion litres per year.
So continue reading to learn about this brand-new wine creating the nation
First of all, some background details. China currently leads the world in merlot consumption and also it has the largest merlot market worldwide. Experts think that red wine is extra preferred than white in China due to the fact that the Chinese perceive red wine as having even more health benefits and because Chinese culture especially values the colour red.
Similarly, the majority of white wines generated in your area in China are red and made from global red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Red wine, in addition to one locally popular grape, Cabernet Gernischt, but they likewise produce Chardonnay and Riesling for white wine manufacturing.
Now that we know concerning the main grape varietals created, let’s explore Chinese wine regions!
Shandong
Yantai, located in the Shandong region, is the biggest creating area in China and contains over 140 vineyards that generate 40% of Chinese white wine.
China’s earliest and biggest vineyard, Changyu Leader White wine, is additionally found in Yantai.
As a result of its warm pleasant continental downpour environment, it’s the only region in Northern China that is cosy sufficient to not have to bury its creeping plants in the wintertime.
Ningxia
Ningxia is one of the most renowned Chinese wine-producing regions due to the fact that it produces top quality red wine that resembles Bordeaux blends. It is located in the northwest component of China.
Around 30,000 hectares of land in Ningxia is primarily planted with red selections such as Cabernet Gernischt, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Wine. As a result of the chilly environment, vines have to be busily buried every fall to protect them from freezing.
In December 2011 in Beijing, there was a competitor labelled “Bordeaux versus Ningxia” in which experts from China and also France tasted 5 white wines from each area. In a dismayed, Ningxia was the clear champion with 4 out of five of the leading glass of wines.
Just recently Ningxia has actually also drawn in foreign winemakers to go practice their craft and contend in the Ningxia Winemakers Challenge.
Hebei
Hebei is a district on the eastern shore of China as well as it borders the funding city of Beijing.
Viticulture in Hebei is divided in between 2 areas particularly: the uneven terroir of Huailai – residence of the well-known China Great Wall surface Red Wine Business, and the seaside city of Changli nicknamed “China’s Bordeaux area”.
The Hebei white wine market mainly focuses on making Cabernet Sauvignon yet there are some smaller sized plantings of Chardonnay, Red Wine as well as Marselan.
Xinjiang
Xinjiang located in the northwest of China is called one of the biggest resources of table grapes and also red wine grapes in China.
Nevertheless, its contemporary white wine market started somewhat slowly because its remote area leads to high transport prices.
Shanxi
Shanxi boundaries east Hebei as well as is made up mostly of a plateau that is partially bounded by a chain of mountains.
It has a regular continental climate with 4 distinct seasons, reduced moisture, high-intensity sunlight, as well as a huge diurnal temperature level difference.
Grapes grown in Shanxi include Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Yunnan
This is one of the most southwestern provinces of China. The vineyards in Yunnan are all small as well as spread because of the mountainous surface.
The grapes are essentially all Cabernet as well as Red wine and with a percentage of Chardonnay. In the last couple of years, Moët Hennessy has bought the northwestern component of Yunnan, Shangri-La, which has an ordinary altitude of 2,500 m, to grow grapes organically for high-quality merlots.
