Made in China
Taking Baijiu Home for the Holidays A gift guide to locally-made beverages worth stashing in a suitcase By Jim Boyce
S
40
the operations worthy of attention. The team there put its initial energy into carefully crafting vineyards rather than building an all-too-common Disney-esque chateau and it shows. The fruity, entry-level Cabernet is RMB 198, while those preferring more oak can grab a bottle of reserve at RMB 298. It’s available via Temple Restaurant Beijing’s wine shop (trb-wine.com). TRB also stocks 1421, Helan Qing Xue, and several other Chinese brands. Finally, this column recently covered seven better wineries in Ningxia, China’s most promising region. If you only have space in your bags for one of those bottles, go with Kanaan, a small operation that makes a crisp, dry Riesling and a semi-sweet white blend, both priced from RMB 150. If red is your style, the “Pretty Pony” CabernetMerlot has earned praise at home and abroad, and ranks as one of China’s must-try wines. Priced around RMB 288 at TRB and Pudao Wines. While the local craft beer scene has grown by hops and bounds in recent years, bottled options by Beijing-based breweries are rare. Panda Brew is among the exceptions
december 2015
photoS: JIM BOYCE
o, you’re heading home for the holidays this month and want some local intoxicants for family and friends to try. Sharing is caring, they say, so here are three wine, beer, and baijiu options to help ensure your loved ones have a fun experience. When it comes to wine, China has gone from laughingstock to contender over the past few years. Veteran Grace Vineyard in Shanxi has helped lead the charge and this year took bold steps by releasing its first wines made from Aglianico, Marselan, and Syrah grapes, a welcome move in a market overly focused on Cabernet. Even better, Grace released four kinds of sparkling wines, ones that would serve you well on New Year’s Eve. The three entry-level bubblies are RMB 158 and include Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, and Chardonnay, with the latter a good bet. Spend a bit more – RMB 288 – and get the tasty reserve Chardonnay. These are available from Grace’s Tmall store (gracevineyard.tmall.com). Shandong hasn’t exactly wowed the wine world in recent years but Chateau Nine Peaks in Laixi is among