In terms of vineyard area, China comes third to Spain and France. In 2020, there was 785,000 hectares (1.93 million acres) of vineyard area reported. However, while 90 percent of French vineyards grow wine grapes, in China it is table grape production that accounts for a similar percentage.
Red wine is more popular with the younger generation of consumers (25-36); women typically regard wine as more stylish than beer. Wine drinkers are becoming more educated regarding imported wines, and rely less on distributors and retailers to inform their choices. Focus on Bordeaux has reduced as New Zealand, Italian and Chilean imports have become more popular. Australia accounted for the majority of imports until the tariff policy imposed by the Chinese government in 2020 created a massive reduction.
There is a certain degree of wariness regarding domestic wines regarding price:quality ratios. Therefore wineries face the challenge of not only improving quality, but winning medals at internationally recognized wine competitions. Successful wineries in this regard include Grace Vineyard from Shanxi, and Kanaan Winery from Ningxia.
Wine Regions
China's wine regions spread across the breadth of the country. On the humid, monsoonal east coast, Shandong Peninsula (including Yantai Province) and Hebei Province are responsible for over half of China's national production. The red wine grape variety Cabernet Gernischt is widely planted and vinified here. Fungal vine diseases are a major issue throughout the growing season with heavy spraying is required to keep the grapes in fair health.
In the northeast, Jilin province borders North Korea and Russia and is known for its ski resorts. The Amur variety (the fruit of the Asian vitis amurensis vine species) is favored here for its frost resistance and is high in color and acidity. The neighboring Liaoning Province is known for its icewine, especially those from Golden Valley.
The Yunnan plateau in the southwest of the country, has a similarly humid climate with a long growing season. It falls below the ideal zone for viticulture in terms of latitude, but the climate is cooled by elevations up to 2500 meters (8200ft) near the Tibet border.
Further inland, the regions of Ningxia and Shanxi have become associated with high-quality wine. Ningxia experiences significant diurnal temperature differences, long daylight hours and low rainfall. It also benefits from considerable support from local government.
The official appellation of Helan Mountain, on the edge of the Yellow River is the most awarded in the country. It lies in an isolated mountain range marking Ningxia's border with Alxa League prefecture, not far from the Yellow River. The dry, high-altitude vineyards here have attracted international winemakers and are producing some world-class wines. These include the Helan Qing Xue Jia Bei Lan Cabernet blend that won a major trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2010.
To the northwest lies Xinjiang province, which borders multiple countries and is home to many ethnic groups. The Tian Shan mountains and the Turpan Basin are key geographic features. Day/night temperature changes are dramatic, and rainfall is often at drought levels. Grapes therefore tend to reach high sugars and low acidities. Viticulture is growing fast here, with production more focused on sweet wines.
History of Wine in China
China's indigenous vine species have been cultivated and used to make wine for more than 1500 years. But it was not until the end of the 19th Century that wine production gained any form of scale and formality. In the 1880s, more than 100 Vitis vinifera vines were introduced from Europe by a high-ranking official, in much the same manner as James Busby had done in Australia 50 years earlier. The Changyu winery was established in Shandong soon after this in 1892, and retains a significant position in Chinese wine today.
With the birth of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the communist government became heavily involved in the country's wine industry. It expanded the wineries and, for economic reasons, instructed that grape wine be blended with that of other fruits and even fermented cereal-based liquids.
At the turn of the new millennium there were an estimated 450,000 hectares (1.1 million acres) under vine in China. This included classic European varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot (the key vines of Bordeaux) that were introduced by foreign investors along with Western winemaking techniques. Today, many international wine companies have interests in China. Among these are Moet Hennessy, Remy Cointreau, Pernod Ricard, Torres and the Bordeaux families of Lurton and Barons de Rothschild (of Cheval Blanc and Lafite Rothschild respectively).
Chinese investment in the wine industry in the past decade has far exceeded international funding. Millions of dollars have been invested in establishing a wine tourism industry. However, this growth has not been without controversy. Wine counterfeiting has been a major issue, exacerbated by the regional nature of Chinese wine markets. In addition, quality of Chinese wine is thus far patchy, ranging from excellent to undrinkable.
Other Chinese Alcohols
Alcohol in an integral part of Chinese culture where it is considered as a symbol of happiness and associated with wellbeing. Consumption is often ritualized and purposeful with successful business deals frequently accompanied with a round of drinks. In 2021, the volume of spirits imported into the country surpassed that of wine.
Baijiu
Also known as shoajiu, Baijiu is a popular Chinese liquor often referred to as 'the national drink' of the country. The clear distilled liquor is produced from grain, most commonly sorghum. Although declining in popularity, Baijiu remains as the alcoholic beverage of choice throughout the country. For more information please see Baijiu.
Huangjiu
Meaning "yellow wine", Huangjiu is produced from the fermentation of cereal grains. Mainly rice is used but millet is also found as the raw ingredient. The grains are boiled prior to an inoculation with a starter culture known as Qu. It is then pasteurized, aged and filtered prior to bottling. As Huangjiu is not distilled, the alcohol content generally sits around 14 to 20 percent. Various categories of Huangjiu have developed throughout its production history, the most common of which is Shaoxing wine. Common flavor descriptors include pungent, umami and astringent with a slight sour note.
Beer
In 2019, China took the leading spot as the largest beer market in the world. Production and consumption of Chinese beer can be traced back for over nine thousand years, although modern brewing was not introduced until the end of the 19th Century. Even more recently, there has been shift towards refined beers with the craft beer industry beginning to develop. Snow Beer is the most common brand of beer in China with other popular producers including Tsingtao, Yanjing and Harbin.
