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In the pursuit of learning as much as we can about wine so we can share that knowledge with others, we have been to every country in the world that produces it in any significant quantity. People are often surprised to discover that we have visited multiple wine regions and too many wineries to count in China, and their response to finding this out is often along the lines of, “Well the wine’s not very good, is it?” Considering China’s size (it has roughly the same land mass as the United States), varied climates, and the fact that wine has been made there for around 2,000 years, it’s hard to believe that anyone would just dismiss the entire country, but here we are.

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One needs to simply look at the external investment in Chinese wine projects to realize the seriousness of the $42 billion annual winemaking business there. Nearly 500 wineries are present across 12 key regions. Significant players like Louis Vuitton-Moët Hennessy, Domaine Baron de Rothschild (D.B.R.) Lafite, and Penfolds’ involvement makes even the fiercest critic take note. This does not imply that wineries without international involvement are not producing high-quality wine, but most of those at the top-tier predominantly sell within their domestic market and refrain from global distribution.

The LVMH project, Ao Yun, meaning “flying above the clouds,” was the first to hit the market with the release of the 2013 vintage. This boutique winery, nestled high in the Himalayas within the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, houses 68 acres of vineyards situated in bends of the Mekong River at altitudes ranging from 7,200 to 8,500 feet above sea level. Bordeaux native and Estate director and winemaker, Maxence Dulou, segmented the vineyards into 314 blocks and 900 sub-blocks based on variances in soil, terroir, drainage, and sunlight exposure. Each plot is hand-tended, vinified separately, then blended to produce a rich wine resembling a Bordeaux-style blend, with a hint of Syrah. Dulou’s precision, both in the vineyard and during blending, results in a pleasant wine that regularly receives high critical acclaim. He characterizes his wine as having a balance of “freshness and ripeness in the nose and acidity and density in the mouth”, with very mature tannins providing a soft, gentle texture. The United States makes up a minor market for Ao Yun, receiving only 10 percent of exports, but the wine is relatively accessible. Half of it is sold in China, with another 20 percent distributed throughout Asia.

Far to the northeast and just slightly higher than sea level, D.B.R. Lafite established its terraced vineyards in Shandong Province in 2008. Known in China simply as the Chinese Lafite, the first vintage of Long Dai is the 2017, released in 2019. As shared by Technical Director Olivier Tregoat, the priority of the Domaine de Long Dai is to know the terroir and develop expertise in soils and grape types, led by a solid local team, to find the best expression of the Shandong terroir and create a unique Chinese wine with a French touch. Long Dai isn’t your traditional Bordeaux blend; it’s crafted with 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 percent Cabernet Franc and 25 percent Marselan, a cross between Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon that is widely cultivated in China. Marselan adds hints of baking spice and floral notes to the wine’s dark-berry flavors and smooth tannins. It is predominantly sold in mainland China with strong distribution among wine collectors and wine enthusiasts, but it’s still possible to locate Long Dai online at several trustworthy retailers at costs close to its suggested retail price of $699.

The other venture we noticed is Penfolds, which recently released its Penfolds 2021 Chinese Winemaking Trial 521 Cabernet Sauvignon Marselan, or for short, Penfolds CWT 521. The numbers 5-2-1 represent five regions where the grapes are sourced and the vintage year of the wine. Matt Woo, Penfolds’ winemaker, expresses that CWT represents an expression of Penfolds house style through a Chinese lens, speaking both to Penfolds varietal characters and reflecting the regions from which it originated.

Unless you’re planning a trip to China or Australia, finding a bottle of Penfolds CWT 51 might be a challenge. As for other Chinese wines we’ve covered, they are enjoyable now and will continue to age nicely at home for at least another decade. Despite this, they have not attained the status of investment wine. As Nick Pegna, Sotheby’s global head of wine and spirits shared, there’s been a limited presence of top Chinese wineries in the auction salesroom. This is likely because these wineries are relatively new, and there’s not yet a substantial increase in values. While there is a following for the new releases of Long Dai and especially for Ao Yun, and their quality level is excellent, they have not reached the point of being considered collectibles. This suits us just fine as we believe wine is meant to be savored, not stored away for profit.

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