Chinese people have enjoyed potent spirits for ages, and this fondness has enabled the development of a sophisticated drinking culture. In the modern era, however, grape wine has become in vogue across the country, with some amount of status attached to knowledge and consumption of certain varieties. Some of the most famous foreign vintages are sold in China at exorbitant prices. For example, a bottle of 1982 Lafite can fetch up to 50,000 yuan. Although knowledge of French wine may garner status, many remain unaware that fermenting of grapes has a long history in China.

Within any specific region, variations in grape planting and brewing, combined with different geographies, will produce a plethora of distinctive tastes along with many interesting stories – which is surely a major factor in wine’s profound global cultural position. Specific aromas can only be produced within certain climate and soil conditions, making an ideal vineyard environment attractive to potential brewers from near and far. China already has several grape plantation bases, each with rich legends surrounding the fermented fruit.  

Xinjiang: Wine of a Millennium

The remains of the 2,000-year-old city of Niva can be found west of the ruins of ancient Loulan Kingdom and north of Minfeng County in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The ruins were discovered by archaeologists in the early 20th century along with numerous cultural relics. Amongst the items unearthed from tombs in the Niva ruins were bright-colored silk and cotton textiles, and surprisingly, remnants of grape wine. According to records inscribed on accompanying wooden slips, during Niva’s heydays, the area had mature brewing techniques, and wine was a luxury enjoyed by the upper class. The size of a man’s vineyard was a primary criterion for defining his status for marriage proposals.

Indeed, Xinjiang is home to the earliest grapevines in what is now China. Historical documents show that in 138 B.C., the emperor of the Western Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian on a diplomatic mission to Xiyu (present-day Xinjiang and other areas of Central Asia). When Zhang returned to the capital, Chang’an (now Xi’an), he brought along many exotic products, including grape seeds. During the Tang (618-907) and the Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties, Xinjiang’s grape wine was introduced and exported to the Central Plains along the Silk Road. Countless poets began praising the beverage in verse after becoming intoxicated by its remarkable flavor and properties. Today, Xinjiang’s Turpan Basin is one of the leading grape producers in China.