Dalian hosts wine and dine festival

More than 240 vintners and 50 food producers from around the world are entertaining residents and visitors at an ongoing wine-and-dine feast in Dalian, in Northeast China's Liaoning province.

The five-day event, the first China Dalian International Wine & Dine Festival, will run through July 16.

Pierre Goguet, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bordeaux, said that more than 60 vintners from Bordeaux brought their wares to the festival.

"We hope to present our good products here, let more people taste our wine directly, and make them know better about the wine culture of Bordeaux," Goguet said.

Dalian Haichang (Group) Co Ltd, a sponsor of this festival, has signed an agreement with a chateau in Bordeaux to jointly build an international wine-industry park in the Dalian Free Trade Zone. The grape growing area is expected to reach 5,000 acres (about 3.3 sq km).

Li Hengrui, executive chairman of Haichang's board of directors, said that 400 acres of quality grapevines imported from Bordeaux have been planted at the park. Dalian will boast its own locally grown and brewed wine in three years, he said.