China Flashcards
What style of wine is China most known for?
Recently become important P of red wine, principally Cab Sauv (by far most planted variety) Merlot and Carmenere (known locally as Cabernet Gernischt).
Local culture sees wine as red, most wines are red at all price points.
Dry, with or without oak (dependant on price), though some off-dry and sweet exists.
Small quantities of rose and white exist.
When does winemaking date back to? Relative to modern terms?
References to grape-deriver alcohol date back to the Tang Dynasty in poetry (618-907 CE).
Modern industry dates back to late 19th century when Zhang Bishi, businessman and Chinese govt consul in Asia, imported around 150 Vinifera species into China.
He founded Changyu Winery in Yantai (Shandong Provence), traditionally seen as where the modern industry started.
When did the wine industry begin to substantially develop? Which brands were formed?
Due to political events, not until well into the 20th century.
Expansion only really began in 1980s when Peoples Republic opened to international development.
CITIC, the govts foreign investment arm, partnered with French govt and Remy Martin to create a Sino-French winery in Huailai (Near Beijing) with the wines being sold under the dynasty label.
Pernod Ricard formed a joint venture to develop a new Chinese brand called Dragon Seal.
To what extent is France still involved in Chinas wine industry?
Remains a feature, as with LVMHs Chandon sparkling wine operation in Ningxia province.
Why was the wine industry encouraged by Chinese govt in 1990s?
Replace cereal based spirits with wine and fruit based drinks.
Address the shortage of grain.
How much of vineyard area is dedicated to wine P? Why?
Relatively small (about 10%). As has been the case historically. Majority is devoted to table grapes, which, both fresh and dried attract higher prices in a culture where fruit is often given as a premium gift.
Why is China production experiencing rationalisation? What has this lead to?
Despite 1980s expansion, in the era of Xi Jingping’s ‘anti-extravagance’.
Chinese wineries can no longer rely on gifting their production to govt officials.
Most are shifting to targeting consumers. Has hit some operations hard, especially considering the majority of wineries in Ningxia and some areas were est as recently as 2010, spurred by support from the Ningxia govt itself, which was then looking for ways to improve the rural economy.
What climatic features are common for almost all regions?
Marked continental with very cold and arid winters.
In most regions, some vines have to be buried as early as Nov to survive low winter temps, and more importantly, the very arid conditions (vines underground retain more water).
Heavy summer rains affect most, though in some regions total rainfall is low.
Vast country (4500km from wine regions of Heilongjiang in the NE to Yunnan in the S), very different climates.
What is a key climatic feature of Heilongjiang and Jilin?
In far NE of country, subject to extreme cold making burying essential.
What is the climate of Beijing and Hebei?
Humid continental with warm humid summers and cold winters, with often torrential rain in Aug and Sept. Overall rainfall is low (200-300mm annually).
Cool Pacific breezes moderate warm temps and reduce humidity, but still enough humidity in summer to make fungal disease a constant threat in summer.
Where have vineyards typically been planted in Beijing and Hebei?
Older vineyards on flat land with poor drainage and fertile soils, resulting in excessive yields and poor fruit quality.
Newer vineyards have been planted on better sites.
Vines planted close to ocean typically dont need burying, but the challenges of excessive short term rain, humidity and over rich soils remain.
What is the key climatic feature of Shandong Province?
On E coast: warm maritime, considerably wetter with rainfall coming at the worst point of the season: Aug/Sept. before or during harvest.
High level of precipitation makes disease constant pressure
What are key climatic features of Shanxi and Shaanxi?
Two inland regions have dry continental (<500mm).
Levels of humidity are higher in the more S Shaanxi = fungal disease risk.
What are the climatic conditions of Ningxia province? Where is considered the best area?
Well inland: arid continental (200mm) with monsoon rains.
Very windy, exacerbating dryness.
Essential irrigation is drawn from the yellow river.
Best area Helen Shan (Helen Mountains) region, where mountains protect from the worst of the NW desert winds.
Where are Xinjiang and Gansu located? Climatic features?
Far NW of the country. Climate is extremely dry (80mm in many areas), and winter snow can arrive as early as Oct: short growing season.
Xinjiang suffers windy conditions.
Frost is a problem in Xinjiang, not only in spring but in early autumn too in southern Xinjiang, where vines are high (1100m) and especially prone.
Dry conditions: less need to spray, and availability of water from melted snow in Tian Shan (Heavenly Mountains) range, and the very warm climate enable high volume production here.
Gansu: very dry, short growing season, cooler than Xinjiang
