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It's been a while since we bought a bottle of Chinese wine -- we occasionally trawl through the wine aisles in the supermarkets, but our eyes glaze over when we see some of the prices. Nevertheless, we'd like to know: What kinds of Chinese wines are (don't laugh) good? This article from The Independent tells us that wines are a growth industry in China:
Only a decade ago, China had some 240 wineries, but more than 100 new vineyards have been set up since then. Most of them are small or medium-sized, and they are trying to produce ever better wines to appeal to increasingly discerning tastes in China and abroad.
Of course, wine isn't just a drink, it's part of a lifestyle:
And it's not just the largely Muslim province of Xinjiang growing wine - how about a cheeky Shandong merlot? The Bodega Langes vineyard was set up in 1999 by Gernot Langes-Swarovski, of the Austrian crystal family of the same name. A 200-hectare vineyard in Changli, 150 miles east of Beijing near the coast in Shandong province, it includes a hotel, restaurant, wine school and China's first vino-therapy spa, which uses grape skins and the oil from pressed grapes to pamper the body. With more than 30 wineries in the area, Changli has been called the "Oriental Bordeaux".
Vino-therapy sounds cool, though given our proclivities, too much of that life and the next thing you know you're headed for wino-therapy ...
The article also states that the wine boom has led to a "chateau-building boom in China," which we also think is pretty cool. Anyway, we'd be interested in hearing from the wine connoisseurs out there (hipsters, corporate executives and winos, we're talking to you) about what you think of the state of Chinese wines. In particular, are Shandong Merlot's really ... cheeky?
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I've found most Chinese reds completely undrinkable, though some are merely 'bad'. The lone exception in my experience is Grace Vineyard from Shanxi Province. Try it...
In my opinion the issue with most Chinese wines is not whether they are palatable, but whether they are potable. Since spending real money on Chinese wine inevitably ends in woe, I have only experimented with the cheap ones. I've had a good imitation of grape Gatorade, vinegar, and one Tibetan Dry that tasted like beef jerky.
The only acceptable one I've found is Suntime's Manas dry red (新天玛纳斯). The winery is in Xinjiang, and the wine itself, which will set you back a whopping 16 RMB per bottle, is decent. Still haven't tried Suntime's other wines.
On a separate but related note, I was lingering in Metro's wine aisle the other day and saw a bottle of Franzia. Franzia comes in bottles???
A cabernet under "Huadong" brand, from Yantai, Shandong, takes the highest honor that a Chinese wine has ever achieved for this diligent wine aficionado: it is actually mediocre, rather than plain bad. It is comparable to a $7 California cab or an Aussie shiraz, the kind that has less character and therefore pleases many.
Two caveats, however: first, you cannot find this wine easily outside of Shandong Peninsula; secondly, the price is ~130-200RMB, which puts it in the same price range as a fairly drinkable (and far more interesting) young Bordeaux that you can get from Carrefour, or better yet, D.T.Asia, directly.
So, wine buff hopefuls: I guess I just lost that aparkle of interest in your eyes......
I have drank my way through 1/2 the world. From 10 RMB a bottle to 20,000 RMB a bottle white/red wine from acorss the world. Most Chinese wine is really bad. If you want to get drunk without any headaches, trying some other countries. I agreed, Grace vineyard's white wine is nice, and palatable. Dynasty is decent, and best drunk with Sprite or concoct it with OJ to make Sangria. Dragon Seal is so bad, that I had to swear!! F&#@#!@ bad. I think a lot of them are overpriced, and price in Chinese wine does not mean quality! I think xinjian wine is horrible as well. Mostly, I just don't think you can sip Chinese wine. They are meant to be drunk by cases, and blind folded. Even the best Chinese wine is not comparable to a any decent wine other parts of the wine country.