Ch. 33 – China

Question 1

Most planted grape in China

Answer 1

Cabernet Sauvignon

followed by Merlot and Carmenere (Cabernet Gernischt)

Question 2

Local name for Carmenere

Answer 2

Cabernet Gernischt

Question 3

Key developments in the history of wine in China

Answer 3

late 19th century - Zhang Bishi

• imported around 150 v. vinifera varietied to China
• founded Changyu winery in Yantai
• due to political events, wine industry did not develop till 20th century

1980s

• Government partnered with French government and Remy Martin to create Sino-French winery in Huailai
• Dynasty label
• Pernod Ricard joint venture - Dragon Seal brand
• LVMH’s Chandon sparkling wine in Ningxia
• Anti-extravagance measures negatively affected wine business in China

1990s
- government encourages wine industry to replace cereal-based spirits (health and shortage of grains)

Question 4

% of vineyard area devoted to wine production (estimate)

Answer 4

10%

the rest goes into table grapes and raisins

• higher profits
• fruits as premium gift

Question 5

Anti-extravagance measures

Answer 5

Ban of gifting wine to government officials

Question 6

Climate

Answer 6

Nearly all regions marked continental climate

• very cold and arid winters
• vines have to be burried as early as November
• Heavy summer rains

Regions can have very different climates

Question 7

Reason to bury vines over winter

When?

Problems

Answer 7

Against winter freeze

Vines underground retain more water

Typically done in November and dug out again in March-April

Needs advances manual labour skills

Adds 20-30% of production costs

Parts can be mechanized but never entirely

Availability of labour is issue

Question 8

Heilongjian and Jilin regions

Answer 8

far north east

Extreme winter cold (winter burrial essential)

Question 9

Beijing and Hebei regions

Answer 9

Coastal regions
- humid continental climate
- warm humid summers and cold winters
- torrential rain in August and September
(however low rainfall 200-300mm per year)

Cool Pacific breezes moderate the warm temperatures and reduce humidity levels
- still enough to make fungal diseases challenge

Older vineyards - flat land - poor drainage and fertile soils
- high yields, poor quality

Newer vineyards on better sites

Vines close to coast do not need to be burried (saving cost)

Question 10

Largest challenges in Beijing and Hebei

Answer 10

excessive short term rain

humidity

over-rich soils

winter freeze (inland)

Question 11

Shandong

Answer 11

East coast

Warm maritime climate

• wetter
• rain during harvest (August-September)
• rot is constant problem

Question 12

Shanxi and Shaanxi

Answer 12

inland, central regions

Dry continental climate (less than 500mm)
- humid in south (fungal diseases)

Question 13

Ningxia

Answer 13

Inland, arid continetal climate (200mm)

• monsoon rains
• very windy (evapotranspiration)
• irrigaiton water from Yellow river

Best area is in Helan Shan (Helan Mountains) region
- mountains protect from the worst of north-west dessert winds

Question 14

Xinjiang and Gansu

Answer 14

Extremely dry (only 80mm in many areas)

• winter snow as early as October
• short growing season
• very windy
• Frost is a problem
• High altitude in south (1,100m) - frost in Autumn as well
• availability of water from snow enables high volume production

Gansu is slightly cooler

Question 15

Yunnan

Answer 15

far south
Sub-tropical humid climate
 - vineyards on slopes (1600-2900m)
 - foothills of Himalayas
       - moderate temperatures and reducing humidity
 - Long frost-free season
 - vines do not need to be burried

Question 16

Phylloxera

Answer 16

thought not to be present

Question 17

Vine training

Answer 17

Traditional 
 - Multi Cordon Fan system
    - multiple cordons from low trunk 
    - popular in table grape industry
 - Single Dragon system
    - single trunk at slight angle as spur-pruned cordon
both designed for high yields
do not have single fruiting zone (uneven ripening)

Modern

• spur-pruned Chang shaped system
  
  • trunk in bended form allowing for easier burrial
  • unified fruiting zone

Question 18

Vineyard management (except training)

Answer 18

Dense canopies

Excessive use of irrigation and fertilization

leaf roll virus

relative lack of viticultural training

lack of good quality planting material

Question 19

Government influence in viticulture

Answer 19

Government owns all land

Determine all agricultural practises

• making site specific changes is difficult
• viticultural advisors do not necessarily have power to affect what is happening in vineyards

Question 20

Indigenous vine species

Answer 20

v. amurensis
- resistant to cold
- unusual aromas

Question 21

Winemaking

Answer 21

model of Bordeaux

Premium

• prolonged maturation (18 months) in barriques
• standards have significantly improved
• reduction of technical faults

Riper tannins due to better canopy management and more attention to picking dates.

Very small amount of white wine (Chardonnay, Riesling)

Question 22

Wine law and regulations

Answer 22

all wine is treated as food product

• declare product 100% fermented grape juice with indication of alcohol strenght
• production date and shelf life indication

BUT Continues to be taxed as industrial product
- adding 10% to the price

Question 23

Wine business

Answer 23

Domestic market continues to grow
- 70% in the last decade

Low consumption per capita (1.5L)
- but 5th largest consumer of wine in the world

Market dominated by

• Changyu, Great Wall, Dynasty
• bulk operations
• many rely on blending with imported wine (because of diffucult local production)
• Common wide portfolio (including foreign acquisitions)

Importance of online sales

Fraud of French, Australian and Chinese wine

Most of the wine is consumed domestically

Question 24

Notable producers

Answer 24

Grace Vineyard (Shanxi)

Silver Heights (Ningxia)

Ao Yun (Yunnan)