Chinese wines - a quick tour of some of Ningxia's most interesting vineyards
I've been asked a few times where is good to visit in Ningxia, sadly wine tourism in that area isn't as structured as you might expect in a place like Napa Valley which the region often compares itself too - there are a handful of wineries that are open to the public or easily bookable (like Xige, Kanaan, Yuanshi or Silver Heights) and certainly worth a visit, but here is my list from my most recent trip up there:
Silver Heights - Easy to book a tour, these guys are a big name in Ningxia, an excellent Winery, a seriously yummy orange wine and a cider too! Silver Heights was the first wine I had in China where I thought 'wait, China can make a damn good wine, I have to pay attention to this'. Recently certified bio dynamic, lots of natural fun, and a gorgeous space to visit.
Domaine Des Aromes - this has been a favourite of mine for ages, not just because of the amazing cellar experience, but also their amazing biodynamic vineyard that produces an amazing Cab Sav. It's been a favourite of mine for a while.
Xiaopu Wine - Ian Dai is a real cowboy wine maker, he's got about a million experiments on the go, of course his classic 'Gathering' that I posted on Saturday is an amazing wine, great value, but he also is out there in Ningxia blending wine with beer and mead. It's mental and delicious as hell.
Petit Mont - like Xiaopu, they are making wine by buying grapes from other vineyards, meaning they make an exciting range of wines at a great price, with more classic flavour blends.
Stone + Moon - a new winery on the block, driven by the incredible wine maker Maria Teresa Romero Ponce these guys are dropping an amazing Marselan Rose and an amazing Syrah this year!
Xige - they are one of the biggest of the interesting wineries out in Ningxia, they make a good Merlot - a grape variety that really should be grown more out in Ningxia. I did a big project for Xige previously, check that out here.
Devo - this is an exciting new winery in Ningxia, relentlessly chasing the classic Champagne flavour, and nailing it, they also have a super yummy rose on it's way with huge strawberry notes.
Legacy Peak - A more established vineyard, they've been around since the 90s, some good, classic Ningxia reds, and we got absolutely wrecked with the son of the founder over an amazing lamb hotpot. Pretty good Cab Sav.
