Tag Archives: Chinese Wine

Pagoda • Shaoxing’s Finest Rice Wine

Huangjiu – made from millet, rice and wheat – has been fermented and enjoyed in China for about 4,000 years. It predates today’s more popular baijiu by around 3,000 years because China only really started distilling alcohol during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 – 1279). So, when you see 3,000-year …

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Chateau Zhongfei Caring Nature Shiraz 2016  

Chateau Zhongfei first planted grapes on the vast Yanqi Basin in the Gobi Desert in 2009. The organic vineyard at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains has transformed the barren dessert into a grape oasis comprising 263 hectares. This does not include 6 ha planted for producing table grapes. Zhongfei has the largest plantings of …

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Helanhong Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

This Ningxia Helan Mountain cabernet is fully evolved. The capsicum green peppery fruit is laced with vanilla sweetness from the oak. Medium-bodied and fresh. Enjoyable on its own and with roast meat including chicken, duck, goose, beef and lamb.

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Domaine Chandon Brut

This Chinese sparkling is part of the Moet Hennessy Group, itself part of LVMH, the French luxury giant. Methode Traditionnelle refers to the bubbles being created inside the bottle during the secondary fermentation, the same way champagne is made. My last visit to the winery in Ningxia was three years …

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