Back in 1892, when the Chinese diplomat and business tycoon Zhang Bishi established the first winery in the Middle Kingdom, little did anyone know how significant the wine industry would become. Zhang introduced European grapevines and released his first wines under the name "Zhang Yu Wine Company.” Assisting him in this endeavor was an Austrian named August Wilhelm Reichsfreiherr von Babo, who served as the director of the Klosterneuburg Wine School, near Vienna. Von Babo laid the foundation for what is now known as "Changyu," the largest and oldest wine producer in China, with eight wineries spread across the country.
According to data from OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine), China now ranks third globally in terms of wine-producing countries, with approximately 785,000 hectares of vineyards. However, in terms of wine production, it currently holds the 12th position, producing only 4.2m hectoliters. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the production volume was considerably higher.
History repeats
In 2015, Lenz Maria Moser, who originates from the renowned Moser wine family and has a background in economics and oenology from Klosterneuburg, joined Changyu. His objective was to position "Chateau Changyu Moser XV" as the leading Chinese Château in the international market. Prior to this, Moser had begun his career in the family business, and later in 1997, he was recruited as the "General Manager Europe" by Robert Mondavi. From 2005, he worked for a German import company, where he got acquainted with the wines and creators of Changyu. Currently, Moser is responsible for the development of wines in collaboration with the Chinese winemaker Fan Xi.
Grand Terroir
Located in the autonomous province of the Muslim Hui minority, close to the Gobi Desert, the Ningxia wine region is situated along the Yellow River (Huanghe). In 2003, Ningxia became the first officially recognized wine-growing area in China. In 2016, Ningxia announced a wine classification system, similar to Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. In the recent past, Changyu Moser XV has been elevated to a "fourth growth" status.
The region experiences an average of 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, compared to Germany's average of 1,528 hours, and the continental climate creates significant day-night temperature variations. Here, Moser and Xi predominantly produce Bordeaux blends, aiming to compete with the great icons of the category. With confidence, they present their wines in "Benchmark-Tastings" alongside esteemed names like Opus One or Rothschild-Lafite.
The grapes for the "Helan Mountain Range" line thrive at elevations of up to 1,100 meters in the foothills of the Helan-Shan Massif, located on the border between Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. Here, their 100%-based Cabernet Sauvignon benchmark wine “Purple air comes from the east” is produced. VM
