Shandong
山东
As the birthplace of Confucius, this large peninsula extending into the Yellow Sea (黄海) is also the birthplace of China’s commercial wine industry with the oldest and largest winery, Changyu Pioneer Wine Company, established in 1892.
The rolling hills, fertile plains and lengthy coastline offer a wealth of seafood and fertile land suitable for agriculture, marking Shandong as one of the Eight Great Traditions of Chinese cuisine.
Shandong has always been the backbone of China’s winemaking industry, with its large production volume and prestigious winemaking houses - most notably Bordeaux’s Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). However, international attention on Ningxia and Yunnan, and difficultures managing the monsoon climate, pose challenges for the future of the region.
Climate: Temperate monsoon
Temperature: Average of -1°C in winter, 25°C in summer
Altitude: 200-400m
Rainfall: 800mm p/a (high)
Sunlight: 2,400 hours p/a
Soil: Sand, loam, gravel
Key varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Gernischt, Chardonnay, Riesling, Petit Manseng
Notable Viticultural Practices: Canopy management for disease pressure, irrigation?
Geography
As a peninsula, Shandong hosts broad, low-lying, fertile plains extending along the coastline. To the west, one of China’s five sacred mountains, Taishan (泰山) forms a natural divide, isolating the peninsula.
Grape-growing regions benefit from the cooling effect of the Bohai Sea (渤海) including Laizhou Bay (莱州湾) to the northwest of Shandong.
Overtime, the Yellow River and Hai River (海河) deltas to the north deposited mineral-rich sediment suitable for grape growing, prompting growers in the region to draw similarities to Bordeaux.
Key subregions (west to east) include:
Qingdao Prefecture
青岛市
Yantai prefecture
烟台市
Weihai prefecture
威海市
Size
Shandong has historically produced majority of China’s wine across 140 wineries and 17,000 hectares.
Styles
The decisions to draw similarities between Shandong and Bordeaux, exacerbated by French romanticism and investment in China’s wine industry, ensures that Bordeaux blends dominate in the region.
Red blends are typically medium to full-bodied, and often oak aged. The maritime climate and long growing season ensures late-ripening grapes can retain acidity and whilst achieving ripeness.
Domaine de Long Dai 2020
56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc, 20% Marselan aged in 30% new French oak for 12 months.
Changyu Noble Dragon 2020
75% Cabernet Gernischt, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak for 6 months.
Notable Wineries:
Imported:
-
Notable Producers:
DBR Domaine de la Long Dai
Changyu Pioneer Wine Co.
Great Wall Wine Co.
Longting Vineyard
Chateau Nine Peaks
Chateau Junding
Qingdao Huadong Winery
Penglai Goubin Winery
Jiangyu