China's thirst for fine wine has long dominated the headlines. This week, however, the story took a new turn when it was announced that Chinese producer He Lan Qing Xue had won the top honour at the Decanter World Wine Awards for its Jia Bei Lan 2009 Cabernet blend. (Read the Telegraph's article on He Lan Qing Xue's success here.) According to Decanter, the wine is only available in China and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Gernicht. Domaine Helan Mountain also impressed the panel and won silver and gold medals for its Classic Chardonnay and Premium Collection Riesling.
As China's nascent winemaking industry makes strides and more wineries establish themselves as leading producers, will growing numbers of Chinese buyers begin to look to local stars, rather than to those of Bordeaux, to satisfy demand?
