When Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Zhang Bishi, an overseas Chinese from Indonesia, founded China's first winery, Changyu Pioneer Wine Co, in 1892, there was no way he could have dreamed that it would grow into one of the world's top vintners 120 years later.
With a good harvest at Changyu's vineyards in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region this year, wine enthusiasts will have the chance to enjoy a vintage that tastes different from the noted winemaker's other products.
Editor's note: The first to introduce European grapes and winemaking techniques in China when it was founded in Yantai, Shandong province in 1892, Changyu Pioneer Wine Co is one of nation's top producers on par with European winemakers.
The taste for fine wines among Chinese investors may find a new outlet as Changyu Pioneer Wine Co Ltd launches the country's first history-themed wine investment product.
The world's wine producers have been looking for a bigger share of the Chinese market because of its immense potential among an increasingly aware population, in recent years.
With almost the same latitude as Bordeaux of France and favorable climate conditions, Yantai is considered one of the world's top seven coastal grape planting areas and one of China's top three vineyard centers.
Yantai hosts a series of international festivals featuring fruit and vegetables, wine and selected Chinese food. Around 250 purchasers, franchisers and business groups have participated in the events.
Christopher Coughlan's job might be one of the best in the world - he travels around the country, tasting different wines and matching them with food.
Chinese wine producers have been looking for a more important place in the global wine market, recently, with Changyu, one of China top brands, ranking 22nd on the World's Top 50 Brands for Spirits and Wine list.
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