Visit Ningxia Local Wineries to Taste the Best Wines in China

Firstly, Ningxia has ideal weather and environment advantages for grape planning - plenty of sunshine (2851-3106 hours of sunshine), abundant heat (≥10 °C, effective accumulative temperature about 3300 °C), large temperature difference between day and night, precipitation less than 200 mm, good water-heat coefficient, and the irrigation of the Yellow River, bringing strong light and cool nights to local vineyards, while the significant temperature difference between day and night can help the grapes to ripen slowly, thus balancing the acidity and phenolics in the fruit.

Secondly in terms of topography, Ningxia has a great land for wine grape growing. The eastern foothills of Helan Mountain located at 37°43'--39°23' of north latitude is recognized by wine industry as the "golden zone" for wine production. It is protected from the invasion of Tengger Desert and Siberian cold current by the 200-kilometer-long Helan Mountain range. The altitudes of grape fields are about 1,100 meters above sea level which is the "golden altitude" for growing wine grapes. Furthermore, the galloping Yellow River water provides a convenient irrigation source for grape growing. In addition, the planting soil here is gravel soil with good air permeability and rich minerals.

To take advantage of the useful climate and environment in the foothills of the Helan Mountains, Ningxia has imported nearly 20 grape species that can produce world-class quality wines.

All the above factors have helped Ningxia become one of the best wine production centers in China even the world.

Helan Qingxue Winery was established in 2005, and its name was taken from one of the eight scenic spots in Ningxia Helan Qingxue, meaning one can even bright snow covers Helan Mountains even in hot June. Helan Qingxue Winery has introduced 16 varieties of French wine grapes, with a planting area of more than 133,000 square meters, an underground wine cellar of 1,000 square meters, and an annual production of 50,000 bottles of wine.

The flagship wine is Gabelan Claret which often wins awards in various international and domestic competitions, of which the most famous is the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).

Address: Western Xia Plaza, Xixia District, Yinchuan (银川市西夏区西夏广场西北200米)

In 2010, Jesse Robinson visited China and was delighted to find that "another new star in the Chinese wine industry", which is the Silver Heights Winery.

At 1,200 meters above sea level, the vineyards of the Silver Heights are among the highest in China. The owner, Ms. Gao Yuan, once worked in a French winery and obtained the French national winemaker certificate. Therefore, Silver Heights also uses traditional French winemaking techniques, inheriting the wine style of the old world.

The winery's most high-end wines are the Silver Heights Quege and Emma 's Private Collection, but the latter is only produced in special years.

Address: Jinshan Village, Helan County, Yinchuan (宁夏回族自治区银川市贺兰县金山村)

Domaine des Aromes is also a quality winery in Ningxia, and it is also a very rare winery in China that adopts the "Biodynamic Skill". The owners, couples Peng Shuai and Sun Miao, once studied wine growing, wine tasting and international trade in France. The name they gave to the winery is also quite charming, which means fragrant winery.

The purpose of using Biodynamic Skill is to make a wine that is entirely dependent on the grapes themselves. In order to test the potential of Ningxia wine, they first brewed the 2013 natural wine by biodynamic method + a small amount of manual intervention. After success, they improved step by step, and finally achieved zero sulfur addition.

The naming of wines of Domaine des Aromes is also very interesting. Among the three main wines, "Bona Baifu " is aged in 100% oak barrels, while "Baifu" uses a slightly smaller proportion of barrels, and "Fu" is completely additive free.

Address: Beijingxi Road N.1855, Yinchuan (宁夏银川市北京西路1855号)

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Xige Winery is ingenious in architecture. It is a huge circular building with the characteristics of ancient Chinese city and a modern sense, built with nearly 200,000 Helan Mountain stones.

The total construction area of the winery is about 25,000 square meters, including wine brewing area, oak barrel wine cellar, filling area, bottle aging wine cellar, professional tasting area, tourist reception center, manor hotel and organic specialty restaurant. It is supposed to produce 10 million bottles annually.

Xige Winery passed the world's highest standard "BRC International Quality Certification" in October 2019, becoming the first winery in China to pass this certification.

Address: Xige Road N.1, Gezishan, Qingtongxia, Wuzhong, Yinchuan (宁夏吴忠市青铜峡市鸽子山西鸽路1号)

Kanaan Winery is an boutique winery located at the foothills of Helan Mountain in Ningxia . Kanaan is the holy land of the Israelites. In "the Old Testament", Kanaan is "the place flowing with milk and honey" and the "land of hope".

Kanaan Winery was founded in 2011 by the German-Chinese Ms. Wang Fang. She was born in a wine family. Her father, Mr. Wang Fengyu, was one of the pioneers of Chinese wine industry. It was under the influence of her father that Ms. Wang Fang returned to Ningxia with a longing for the revitalization of Chinese wine and started her winemaking career.

Because of her bold winemaking style and her daring to break the rules, Ms. Wang Fang is called "Crazy Fang" by the industry. In just a few years, the wines produced by Kanaan Winery have gained an international reputation. In 2019, Ms. Wang Fang was also rated as one of the Ten Most Influential Women in the Chinese Wine Market by British wine magazine Drink Business.

Address: West Side of Xixia Square, Beijing West Road, Xixia District, Yinchuan (宁夏银川西夏区北京西路西夏广场西侧)

Generally, most highlights of Ningxia gather in Yinchuan. A classic Yinchuan tour takes 3 days, and you can appreciate the amazing culture of the Western Xia Dynasty as well and the featured exotic charm quite different from the major cities in China. On your arrival day, take a short visit to the landmarks in Yinchuan City, such as Haibao Pagoda, Drum Tower, China-Arab Axis, etc. Then, spend a full day admiring the rich culture and art Ningxia in the Western Xia Imperial Tombs and the Rock Painting of Helan Mountain. Of course, you won’t miss one of the top wineries where a cup of wine is offered. Before leaving, get an excellent view of Yinchuan in Ningxia Museum and visit the underground tunnels in Shuidong Cave in half a day.

☛ 3 Days Yinchuan History and Culture Tour

A Ningxia tour with itinerary only in Yinchuan is not complete. For more incredible landscapes, don't hesitate to extending your tour to Zhongwei. The top-haves include a visit to Shapotou Desert with beautiful wilderness and interesting activities and a peaceful and luxury accommodation in Suji Yellow River. For travelers in search of adventure, take a Jeep Safari through Tengger Desert. With more time, go to Guyuan to be awed at the valuable grottoes art in Xumishan Grottoes. See all Ningxia Tour Packages>

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