From NikkeiAsia 2021-11-07

BEIJING -- The coastal Chinese province of Shandong lacks the name recognition of Bordeaux or Napa Valley, but the Chateau Nine Peaks winery in Qingdao has won a place on the wine list of the Michelin three-star Joel Robuchon Restaurant in Tokyo and the shelves of upscale department store Isetan Shinjuku.

Its success is among the most prominent examples of how China's wine industry has come into its own, as vintners trained in leading wine regions craft top-quality vintages that belie the image of the world's second-largest economy as a purveyor of inferior or derivative products.

Nine Peaks in particular has piqued the interest of aficionados. Robert Parker Wine Advocate, a site owned by the Michelin Group, named the winery's 2018 Qi Chardonnay to its list of "Top 100 Wine Discoveries" last year, the best showing for a Chinese wine.

Louis Robuchon-Abe, son of Joel Robuchon, imports Nine Peaks wine into Japan. It combines the refined acidity and elegance of French wines with the fruitiness and fullness found in Napa Valley, he says.

Shandong Province, the bedrock of the modern Chinese wine industry, has a climate similar to that of the famed French wine region of Bordeaux. Besides Nine Peaks, it is also home to Yantai Changyu Group, which has a pedigree dating to 1892.

Nine Peaks began cultivating grapes in 2009 and shipped its first bottles in 2011. It hired consultants with experience in Bordeaux, including a master winemaker and a viticulturist, who partnered with Chinese vintners to develop high-quality vintages. The winery has pierced the preconception of Chinese wine as inferior, Robuchon-Abe said.

China's market once thrived thanks to a culture of wining and dining in government and business, but it has waned in recent years under austerity rules imposed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in late 2012. Demand has continued to grow in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, where many young people enjoy drinking wine with friends.

C9P Qi White

Nine Peaks' Qi Chardonnay received high marks from Robert Parker Wine Advocate for its 2018 vintage. (Photo by Shunsuke Tabeta)

Nine Peaks heeds these domestic trends, building relationships with restaurants and wine shops. It has won fans with affordable bottles in the 100-yuan ($16) range, offering a balance between price and quality.

And the company has drawn much international attention despite its relative youth, winning acclaim and awards that have boosted sales to Europe in particular.

"We can now produce 400,000 to 500,000 bottles a year, and about 20% is exported," Deputy General Manager Jacky Yan said.

Original English article link: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/China-vintner-makes-Robuchon-wine-list-reflecting-new-found-acclaim

Original Japanese article link: https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOFK031930T01C21A0000000/