Pairing food with local wine is nothing new all over the world, but for gourmets accustomed to experimenting with Western dishes and flavours, the dizzying array offered by Chinese culinaria — coupled with Chinese wines — opens the door to a new dimension. From Hangzhou to Harbin, the nation’s young and moneyed are fully supporting (and indulging in) their local restaurateurs and winemakers.
It helps tremendously that its current wave of winemakers remain bold, upbeat and exploratory, doing exciting things in new latitude, high altitude terroir — pioneers of a brave new world, and centuries on from a winemaking culture that can trace its origins to the early days of the legendary Silk Road.
The title of China’s finest wine region, however, undoubtedly goes to Ningxia, often called the “Bordeaux of the East” due to its latitude. Growing primarily Bordeaux grape varietals, it has developed China’s most comprehensive wine classification system complemented by grand-scale wineries.
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But while Ningxia is the most renowned wine region, the great turning point for Chinese wines probably occurred with the debut of a wine from Yunnan province. Named Ao Yun, its high-altitude vineyards are located near Shangri-La, at the foothills of the Himalayas, and is owned by the LVMH luxury conglomerate.
Besides Yunnan, another region worth a look-in is Sichuan province. Just a few hours’ drive from the panda capital of Chengdu are stunning mountains, whose high elevation, intense sunshine and extreme temperature shifts offer stellar conditions for making distinctive wines. “Most people know Sichuan for its baijiu (white liquor),” says Jay Hao, the sommelier of the Chengdu outpost of Xin Rong Ji, one of China’s most acclaimed restaurants that specialises in ingredient-led Taizhou-style cooking. “I used to work in Beijing and I myself had no idea that Sichuan produced its own wine before arriving here.”
With at least 15 restaurants across China and counting — including in the capital city, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Hong Kong — Xin Rong Ji Chengdu is the brand’s first location in southwest China.
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It was on a trip to the Unesco-listed Mount Siguniang, about 200km west of Chengdu and whose four peaks are collectively referred to as “Four Girls Mountain”, that the WSET-trained Hao stumbled upon a vineyard, much to his delight. “As a sommelier, my curiosity, of course, led me to make some local enquiries. I managed to track down the winery, arranged to taste its wines and found them distinctive as well as offering great value for money.”
Upon returning to Chengdu, he immediately set about contacting the local wine association and duly established a partnership with the Four Girls Mountain winery. Today, Xin Rong Ji’s selection proudly sells its Reserve Chardonnay as well as Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon on its wine list, with the former also offered by the glass. Produced in very small quantities, the 2024 vintage of the Chardonnay reportedly yielded only 300 to 400 bottles while it was 1,000 bottles for the Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also plans to produce a sparkling Blanc de Blancs in the near future.
Those with an interest in Himalayan culture and traditions might notice the charming adornment of the Buddhist five-coloured sungkü braid around each bottle neck. The different colours of the symbolic accessory represent the five elements: blue (sky — wisdom and open-mindedness); white (air and wind — purity and calmness); red (fire — life force and transformation); green (water — balance and harmony); and yellow (earth — grounding and stability). “Sichuan cuisine is one of China’s eight major culinary traditions,” says Hao.
Jay Hao, the sommelier of the Chengdu outpost of Xin Rong Ji, one of China’s most acclaimed restaurants that specialises in ingredient-led Taizhou-style cooking
“From spicy to numbing, sweet and fragrant as well as umami, what is important is to prioritise the guest’s personal preference. For example, if he or she enjoys spicy food, we might recommend a light-bodied wine with balanced acidity to complement the heat. Milder flavours, on the other hand, might work better with high-acidity white wines or sparkling wines. Ultimately, food and wine should be people-centred. Moreover, Sichuanese wines come in a wide range of styles — red, white, sparkling and sweet — with a complete and ever-expanding portfolio, making them versatile enough to pair with most of the world’s cuisines.”
Those wanting to learn more about the exciting world of Sino viticulture would do well to start with two great names: the aforementioned Ao Yun, one of the finest representations of high-altitude wines and a flagbearer for Chinese winemaking, as well as Zaxee, located in Ganzi, Sichuan. Zaxee, which straddles the borders of the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, produces wines from the two terroirs.
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The winery takes its name from the greeting “Tashi delek”, a polite and auspicious phrase, and its vineyards are owned and tended to by Tibetans. “It is also known as the Walnut Tree Winery, after the 500-year-old tree you would see at its entrance,” says Hao of Zaxee. “It primarily cultivates Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and some Syrah, all of excellent quality. It became really famous as its wines were chosen to be served to Emmanuel Macron when he came to Sichuan last year, just as Xige Estate’s Cabernet Gernischt did in 2023 when it was served during the French president’s visit to Guangzhou.”
For those with a curious palate, other wineries worth looking out for are Bao Zhuang, Domaine Muxin and XiaoLing, whose Hong Po Chardonnay is said to be particularly delectable.
“I have always believed the joy of wine partly lies in the ability to discover and be surprised,” says Hao. “Although Xin Rong Ji is not a Sichuan cuisine restaurant, we like to pair our dishes with local wines so guests may explore the unique pleasure that is pairing food and wine.
Moreover, what sets Xin Rong Ji Chengdu apart is that our wine list may offer bottles that are not available at other Xin Rong Ji locations, adhering to our shared concept of offering unique flavours for each restaurant, be it through the active sourcing of local ingredients or distinctive products — with wine being a particularly key focus. Sichuanese wines will undoubtedly carve out their own place among China’s high-quality wines, attracting more consumers to taste and appreciate them.
The region has many great things for the visitor to discover, wine being one of them. And it always makes me so happy that guests who come to Xin Rong Ji in Chengdu can explore and experience unique things rarely found elsewhere,” he says.
