China

Question 1

Who founded China’s wine industry, when?

Answer 1

• (references to grape derived alcohol in Tang Dynasty 7th-10thC, mainly emperors)
• Zhang Bishi (businessman and govt consul) imported 150 V. vinifera varieties in 1892
• Founded the Changyu winery in Yantai (Shandong Province), seen as birthplace of the industry
• But politics prevented development for most of 20thC

Question 2

Key events in the development of China’s modern wine industry

Answer 2

• 1980s Dynasty label: CITIC (govt’s foreign invest arm) partnered French gov to create Sino-French winery in Huailai (nr Beijing)
• Also Pernod Ricard joint venture to create Dragon Seal
• recently LVMH’s Chandon sparkling in Ningxia Province
• 1990s Chinese govt wanted cereal based spirits replaced by wine/ fruit based drinks - health, but also to address grain shortage

Question 3

What is the percentage of grapes grown in China for wine v table grapes and why?

Answer 3

• only 10% for wine
• both fresh and dried (ie raisins) table grapes give much higher return - fruit is given as premium gift

Question 4

How does China protect its vineyards against very cold, arid winters

Answer 4

• (especially Heliongjian and Jilin in far north-east)
• vines are buried for protection against both the cold and aridness (vines underground retain more water)
• the vine trunk is trained bended for easier burial
• burying in November and unearthing in March-April
• whole process very costly (1/3 budget of vineyard) as requires skilled manual work and machinery

Question 5

Location and climate of Ningxia

Answer 5

• central north, well inland
• arid, continental climate (200mm pa), monsoon rains
• v windy, exacerbating dryness
• essential irrigation from Yellow River
• best area is Helan Shan (Helan Mountains) region, as mountains proects from worst of n-w (Siberian) desert winds

Question 6

Red wines are significantly more popular in China: which black grape variety is by far the most planted?

Answer 6

Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 7

Briefly explain how the anti-extravagance measures may have had a negative impact on the Chinese wine industry

Answer 7

• Gift-giving in China has traditionally been an important part of any business deal. Many new wineries in Ningxia and elsewhere were established as recently as 2010 encouraged by the provincial government and their govt money looking to develop the rural economy.
• Chinese wineries no longer allowed to gift their produce to government officials, in case it is seen as bribery.
• Rare or expensive bottles of wine are no longer allowed to be gifted, therefore potentially cutting down the market for these wines.

Question 8

climate of China

Answer 8

• wine growing areas generally continental, but it’s big!
• north-east the Heilongjian and Jilin regions are v cold
• Beijing & Hebei coastal - summers humid, winters cold
• Shandong - warm maritime climate, heavy rain Aug-Sept
• Shanxi and Shaanxi are inland, warm, dry climate
• Ningxia well inland, v dry (200mm), windy
• Like Ningxia, Xinjiang and Gansu are also very dry, but frost (in autumn) can be a problem (snow in October)
• Conversely, Yunnan is very humid (sub-tropical), vineyards 1600-2900m, long season, one of few inland areas where no need to bury vines

Question 9

Which of the following French wine regions is most of China’s winemaking modelled on?

Answer 9

Bordeaux

Question 10

What type of product category is both imported and locally produced wine labelled as in China?

Answer 10

food