CHINA - History

Question 1

What are the three principal red grapes varieties grown?

Answer 1

Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Carmenere (known locally as Cabernet Gernischt)

Question 2

What is Carmenere known as locally in China?

Answer 2

Cabernet Gernischt

Question 3

Is any white or sweet wine made?

Answer 3

Only in tiny amounts.

Question 4

When did modern Chinese winemaking begin?

Answer 4

Late 19th Century

Question 5

Who imported the first Vitis Vinifera vines to China?

Answer 5

Zhang Bishi

Question 6

What was the name of the winery founded by Zhang Bishi in the late 19th Century?
Where was is?

Answer 6

Changyu.

Yantai, Shandong Province

Question 7

What changed in the 80s that allowed the expansion of wine production?

Answer 7

The country opened to foreign investment

Question 8

What were the two French collaborative wine labels started in the 80s?

Answer 8

Remy-Martin = Dynasty

Pernod Ricard = Dragon Seal

Question 9

Why did the government encourage wine production in the 90s?

Answer 9

They promoted fruit based alcohol over grain based spirit partly for health reason, and partly to address a grain shortage.

Question 10

What is the percentage of dedicated wine based grape production?

Answer 10

10 per cent. Lots of table grapes.

Question 11

How does Xi Jingping’s anti-extravagance measures effect wine production?

Answer 11

Local producers used to be able to reliably gift premium bottles to government officials.
Ningxia province was hit the hardest, as many relied on government support for establishment