Sips of ningxia

Photo by Ye Jun / China Daily

Besides Kanaan's red wine, there were Ningxia Red Shapotou's Cabernet Gernischt 2012, Lanyi Classic Merlot 2011 and Yuan Shi Winery's Soul Mountain 2012.

The fact that these wineries are relatively unknown and small seems to imply an evenly high level of winemaking in the area.

Feng Qing, owner of Leirenshou Winery in Ningxia, says his winemaker told him this year it is not so easy for their wines to win awards like before, because many wines in the area have reached a similar level of quality.

"I told him not to worry. I feel happy about that," he says, "because I think it would be easier for the whole region to emerge collectively."

Feng says people who drink good wine will notice how much effort goes into the product.

"Winemakers here are people who really love wine," says Feng.

While they are serious about the business, he adds, they understand they may not get profits very soon.

Winemaking has matured here in some particular ways. One is irrigation and reclamation of the local saline and alkaline land. Another is a common use of the saignee (French for bleed) method, removing some of juice to concentrate the wine. Also, the vineyards bury the grape vines to keep them alive in winter, because it is harshly cold.

The local wine bureau's Yang notes that the area has been active with international wine circles. Many experts have been invited to give lectures, including winemakers from France and Germany. Many Chinese people studied winemaking overseas.