Six growing centers

Q: Can you give us an overview of Changyu's grape-growing centers?

A: Changyu now has 16,666 hectares of vineyards in Xinjiang, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Liaoning, Yantai and Beijing. Grapes from our six sites each have different flavors, so they're used for different types of wines.

There are 6,000 hectares of vineyards in Yantai, a northern Shandong coastal city with similar natural conditions with the world's famed wine producing regions such as France's Bordeaux and Italy's Tuscany. The vineyards produce a variety of fine grapes, including cabernet gernischt, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chardonnay.

The Shihezi area in Xinjiang has ample sunshine and huge day-night temperature differences, resulting in grapes with more sugar content. Grapes planted there include cabernet sauvignon, merlot, gamay, shiraz, pinot noir and saperavi, chardonnay, riesling and pinot blanc.

In Ningxia, which has strong sunshine, low rainfall, huge day-night temperature differences and clean air, we plant cabernet sauvignon, merlot, shiraz and pinot noir for making red wines and chardonnay, semillon blanc and longan for white wines.

In Jingyang, Shaanxi province, we grow chardonnay, longan, Italian riesling, ugni blanc and merlot.

In Liaoning's Huanren county, the coldest among the six sites, grapes are planted for making ice wine.

The vineyards in Miyun, Beijing mainly grow cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chardonnay.

Q: Cabernet sauvignon red and chardonnay white wines produced at Chateau Changyu AFIP Global in Beijing are frequently served at state banquets and summit meetings. How does Changyu ensure quality for such important consumers?

A: We have strict standards on growing grapes and making wines.

To ensure quality, every hectare of our vineyard at Chateau Changyu AFIP Global is only allowed to produce less than 4,500 kilograms of grapes.

Grapes are taken regularly to Changyu's test centers for checks to see if they are at best condition for harvest.

We also have strict grading procedures.

Then wine is carefully kept in barrels and bottles for a proper period after fermentation.

Chateau alliance

Q: Why has Changyu built a number of chateaus in China?

A: The wine produced at the chateaus is the main part of Changyu's high-end products.

Currently, we have Chateau Changyu-Castel in Yantai, Chateau Changyu AFIP Global in Beijing and an ice wine chateau in Liaoning.

Construction on another three chateaus - in Shaanxi, Xinjiang and Ningxia - will be completed by the end of this year.

We have also forged partnerships with four overseas chateaus.

By Wang Qian and Zhao Ruixue (China Daily)

(China Daily 10/20/2011 page15)