Nestled between the Gobi Desert and the Helan Mountains, this Chinese provincehas transformed degraded lands into an internationally renowned wine region,boasting prestigious awards and investments from giants like LVMH

A worker at Chandon Ningxia tends to the brand's vineyards(Photo: Imh.com)

Every autumn, after the harvest in Ningxia, northern China, millions of vines are pruned. Workersdetach each plant from its trellis and bend the trunks close to the ground, covering them with soil toprotect them from the -20 degree Celsius cold until spring.

Known as vine burial, the technique is common in regions with extreme winters. In Ningxia, however,the scale of the operation is impressive: almost 40,000 hectares of vineyards, an area equivalent tothe entire surface area of vineyards in New Zealand. Even more surprising is the speed with whichthe province, nestled between the Gobi Desert and the Helan Mountains, has gained international recognition for its wines.

"China is a continental country and could have several terroirs where viticulture could flourish, butNingxia was chosen to be the jewel in the crown," explains Diego Arrebola, three-time Braziliansommelier champion, in an interview with NeoFeed

"Quality lies not in the technique employed, but in the dry climate, the health of the grapes, the temperature range, and the balanced ripening," he adds.

Since 20ll, the region has been accumulating honors in some of the world's most importantcompetitions. In June, for example, Ningxia accounted for half of the 214 awards won by China at theDecanter World Wine Awards 2026 - in 2015, there were only 33.

Among the highlights is the Helanhong Jiangnan Reserva Tinto 2019, from the state-ownedHelanhong winery. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, the label receivedthe Platinum medal with 97 points in the competition - a distinction granted to few.

The prestige earned by the terroir stemmed from a radical transformation of the landscape. Fordecades, Ningxia lived off pastoralism, subsistence farming, and then coal mining. Intensiveexploitation left craters up to 40 meters deep, worsened air pollution, and accelerated desertification.

In the late 1990s, the government bet on viticulture as a barrier against the advance of the desert,bringing water from the Yellow River to the vineyards and offering tax incentives.

140 million bottles

Investment in infrastructure and research has paid off. In 20ll, Helan Qingxue won the DecanterInternational Trophy. In the same year, four Ningxia labels were among the top five in a blind tastingwith French and Chinese tasters. From then on, the region became known as the " Bordeaux ofChina".

"The comparison made sense at first, due to the dominant presence of Cabernet sauvignon and Merlot. But today it no longer fully reflects reality," assesses the sommelier. "In addition to the widevariety of grape varieties, the best wines have their own characteristics, with more intense fruit, ripetannins, and an expression linked to the dry climate and high luminosity."

Currently, the 130 wineries established in Ningxia produce 140 million bottles per year - equivalent to 50% of all Chinese national wine production.

Although the main focus is the domestic market, part of the production already reaches around 40countries. France, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Macau account for half of the strategicexports that are crucial for the international projection of Ningxia wines.

All of this machinery is made possible by a governmental model. Since all the land belongs to theState, the government prepares the infrastructure-clearing the land, building irrigation canals, and installing the power grid. Then it leases the plots at low prices to attract private capital.

This is the case with the Xige Estate winery, founded in 2017 by winemaker Zhang Yanzhi. Its red wine,Jade Dove Single Vineyard (US$45 to US$60), gained global prominence in April 2023 when it wasserved at the official dinner welcoming President Emmanuel Macron. The French leader enjoyed thewine so much, characterized by herbaceous notes, leather, strawberry jam, and fine tannins, that herequested several bottles to take home.

There are also family-run producers in the region. Among them is the pioneering silver Heights.Founded in 2007 by Emma Gao, the winery achieved cult status with its label The summit (USss 80), a blend of Cabernet and Merlot.

Alongside it, prestigious independent projects like Kanaan Winery, by winemaker Wang Fang, haveconsolidated the reputation of the province's auteur producers. Their highlight is the award-winningred wine Pretty Pony (around US$50), a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot marked by aromas of fresh blackcurrant, coffee, and dark chocolate.

Ningxia also attracted international giants. The French company Pernod Ricard took over HelanMountain, where it produces the Helan Mountain Grand Reserve red wine (between US$60 andUSs80). LVMH founded Chandon Ningxia, whose flagship wine is Chandon China Brut (between US$25 and Us$35).

And in 2025, the Australian company Treasury Wine Estates bought 75% of Ningxia Stone & Moon forapproximately US$18 million to produce Penfolds CWT 521 (us$120). This was a strategy to reducethe group's exposure to geopolitical instability-years earlier, China had imposed tariffs of 218.4% on Australian wines.

Signature grape

With the maturation of local viticulture, the challenge now is to build an authentic identity of origin. And the bet is on Marselan as the signature grape.

Created in France in 196l from a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, this variety hasnever been a protagonist in traditional wine regions. But in Ningxia, it has adapted very well, givingrise to concentrated wines with a deep ruby-purple color, very sweet tannins, and floral aromas of violets.

Today, around 4,000 hectares of Marselan are cultivated in China, making the country the second largest producer of the grape variety, behind only France.

Although it occupies only 5% of Ningxia's vineyards, wines made with this variety have been winningmajor awards in international competitions since 2017 and are increasingly appearing on JamesSuckling's list of the 100 best wines in China, one of the world's most influential critics.

Despite its international prestige, tasting Chinese wine-even the famous ones from Ningxia-is stillfor the few. The wine's presence abroad remains strategic and focused on the ultra-premium segment.

"The region has already proven that it can produce great wines," says Diego. "The challenge now isto get consumers to buy a Ningxia wine not because it reminds them of another terroir, butbecause it expresses something unique.'