World-class wine-producing zone emerges in northwest China’s Gobi Desert

YINCHUAN, China, Aug. 12, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

At the ongoing international wine expo held in northwest China, the exhibition stall of Stone and Moon Winery is abuzz with enthusiastic visitors as founder Nicolas Billot-Grima passionately showcases his range of wines.

The Fourth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo kicked off on Friday in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, drawing wine experts, enthusiasts and enterprises from both home and abroad.

“The event is crucial as it allows me to stay updated on the latest wine-producing technology and equipment. It also offers opportunities to promote my winery,” said Billot-Grima, a regular participant in the expo, whose winery is nestled in Ningxia’s eastern foot of Helan Mountain.

Ningxia, renowned for its unique grape-growing conditions, produced its first bottle of wine in 1984. Today it has become China’s largest wine-producing region and is gaining prominence on the global stage.

At the expo’s opening ceremony, John Barker, director general of the International Organization of Vine and Wine, highlighted how well Ningxia performs in international wine competitions and exhibitions, underscoring its emerging reputation as a world-class wine region.

BURGEONING WINE MECCA

Originally from Bordeaux in France, Billot-Grima has deep roots in the winemaking industry. He ventured to China in 1987 to develop a wine business, and has since gained extensive experience in wineries across the country. In 2017, he settled in Ningxia and founded the Stone and Moon Winery.

“The weather, soil and political incentives are crucial for developing a vineyard in Ningxia,” he explained. “I have poured my passion into creating exceptional wines from this region to demonstrate that Chinese and Ningxia wines can be world-class.”

Situated near the 38th parallel north, similar to renowned wine regions like Bordeaux, Ningxia’s wine-producing areas enjoy an ideal terroir with a dry climate and abundant sunshine, making the region a golden zone for wine grape cultivation.

In recent years, the Ningxia government has introduced financial support policies and promoted the adoption of smart irrigation systems to advance the local wine industry. In May, new regulations were implemented to protect wine production areas at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain, fostering high-quality development of this sector.

Thanks to its favorable terroir and strong policy backing, Ningxia has emerged as a burgeoning wine hub, now housing 261 wineries and grape-growing enterprises. The region has collaborated with more than 60 international winemakers from 23 countries, and drawn investment from major domestic and international liquor brands, including Pernod Ricard, Changyu and Great Wall.

In March, the Stone and Moon Winery welcomed its new head winemaker, Federico Carabajal, from Mendoza, Argentina’s renowned wine-producing province.

“When I first tasted the wine from Ningxia, I was amazed by its exceptional flavor, which sparked a strong desire in me to explore this region. The soil, climate and wine-making equipment here remind me of my hometown, evoking a sense of familiarity,” said the 31-year-old.

GREEN INDUSTRY

In 2007, while exploring real estate opportunities in Ningxia, entrepreneur Chen Deqi from east China’s Fujian Province encountered the Gobi Desert at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain. Intrigued by its potential, he sent a soil sample to France for analysis and was thrilled to discover that the land could produce some of the world’s finest grapes.

Chen immediately signed a contract with the local government, securing 100,000 mu (about 6,667 hectares) of barren Gobi land for grape cultivation. Through a decade of efforts, he developed over 40,000 mu of high-quality wine grapes and founded the Holansoul Winery.

Over the past decade, the booming local wine industry has resulted in 380,000 mu of barren land being transformed into a lush oasis, creating a 195-km-long green belt of grapevines.

The improved ecological conditions have also encouraged local wineries to integrate the wine industry with cultural tourism.

Yuan Yuan, who owns the Yuanshi Vineyard, said that over the past decade, the winery has developed over 8,000 mu of ecological forests, restored over 6,000 mu of abandoned mining sites and planted over 3,000 mu of wine grapes. It now functions as a comprehensive ecological winery, blending grape cultivation, wine production and tourism.

“Since it opened officially to the public in 2014, the winery has attracted numerous tourists and our wines have also gained popularity,” Yuan said, noting that it welcomed over 50,000 visitors during this year’s May Day holiday.

According to official data, Ningxia is now home to 63 wineries that offer tourism services, attracting over 3 million visitors annually. Its wine industry provides 130,000 local jobs and generates approximately 1.2 billion yuan in income each year.