Song Yan, founder of Longting Vineyard, speaks at a tasting session in partnership with Master of Wine Michael Palij at the 2025 London Wine Fair, held at Olympia in west London on May 19. 

Chinese winemaker Song Yan stood before a discerning audience of professionals at the 2025 London Wine Fair, one of the world's premier trade events for the wine industry, presenting wines from Longting Vineyard, a boutique estate located in Yantai, a coastal city in eastern China's Shandong province.

It was Longting's European debut, and for Song, the moment carried symbolic weight. "The UK has always been a market we've hoped to reach," said Song, the founder of the vineyard. "Not only because it is one of the most professional wine markets globally, but also because historically, British importers and distributors have played a pivotal role in introducing quality wines from places like Bordeaux and Burgundy to the world."

Founded just over a decade ago, Longting Vineyard has quickly earned recognition as one of China's most promising boutique wine producers. From the very beginning, Song and her team embraced an international outlook.

"We didn't start this project to serve only the domestic market," she said. "Our goal has always been to showcase Chinese terroir on the world stage."

Yantai offers favorable natural conditions for viticulture. Its maritime climate, moderate rainfall, long growing season, and well-drained soils make it an increasingly attractive region for wine production. The area is part of a broader movement in China aimed at developing a wine culture that blends local identity with global standards. "We believe Chinese wine can be unique," said Song. "It's not just about replicating the West — it's about expressing who we are through our land."

Despite disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and the hurdles faced by emerging wine industries, Longting has made steady progress. The team chose early on to test their wines against global benchmarks. "From our very first vintage, we entered international wine competitions," Song explained. "Not for the medals, but to receive honest, expert feedback. We needed to know where we stood among global peers."

Petit Manseng, a white wine from Longting Vineyard that quickly drew praise from international judges.

One of Longting's standout offerings is its Petit Manseng, or Xiao Mang Sen — a white wine that quickly drew praise from international judges for its bright acidity, elegant structure, and aromatic complexity. "When we saw that wine being appreciated by top professionals, it gave us real confidence," she said. "We felt that what we were doing in Yantai had meaning beyond China."

The London Wine Fair provided more than just a platform to pour samples. It became a space for meaningful exchange. Partnering with Master of Wine Michael Palij, Song led a professional tasting session that included importers, sommeliers, and critics. "We wanted to convey a serious and authentic image of Chinese wine," she said. "Having someone like Michael involved brought credibility and helped bridge the gap between cultures."

Palij, a veteran in the wine trade and an early advocate for emerging wine regions, was impressed. "Half of me is thrilled by the ambition and energy I see from winemakers like Song," he said. "It reminds me of industries that are young and still exploring what's possible. That spirit of experimentation is essential — and very promising."

However, Song acknowledged the road to international recognition is not without obstacles. "There is still a perception gap," she said. "Many buyers are surprised to learn that China produces fine wine at all, let alone wine that can compete globally. We're still working to shift those assumptions."

Master of Wine Michael Palij, speaks at a tasting session along with Song Yan, founder of Longting Vineyard, at the 2025 London Wine Fair, held at Olympia in west London on May 19.

She pointed out that China's wine industry lacks some of the coordinated support structures found in Europe. "We don't yet have a unified, professional export network," she said. "Most of us are small producers working independently. What we need is collective branding and distribution strategies that reflect our potential."

Still, the optimism remains strong. "The response here in London has been encouraging," said Song. "People are curious. And when they taste the wine, they're surprised — in a good way."

Song believes that collaboration will be key to the industry's future. "We need to build something bigger than any single vineyard," she said. "If we work together, we can put China on the global wine map."

Palij agreed. "If Chinese producers can unite — pooling their efforts like Australia once did — they'll go far. But right now, names like Yantai or Shandong are still unfamiliar to most. That's the gap they're trying to close."

Yantai's maritime climate, moderate rainfall, long growing season, and well-drained soils provide ideal natural conditions that make it an increasingly attractive region for wine production.