Latest news with #Marselan
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Wine with Leslie: Looking east to China for the future of wine
The world of wine is in a state of flux these days. Just this week it was announced that French supermarket wine sales were down by 5% and other European countries have reported similar drops. Maybe wine producers need to look beyond Europe to improve sales. I'm just back from a week tasting wines in the city of Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Province in Western Central China (just south of Mongolia). This is the best-known Chinese wine region with grapes grown on sandy soils on the edge of the Gobi Desert. I was invited by the Concours Mondial Bruxelles, one of the world's most recognised wine competitions, now in its 32nd year. The Concours holds a few different competitions but the red and white competition is by far the largest; there were 7,165 wines from 49 countries tasted by 375 tasters from 56 countries. Wine is not universally drunk in China, of course (baijiu spirit is the alcohol of choice), but it is slowly gaining traction and wineries are popular wedding venues. Of all the different flights of wines my table tasted, the highest marks we gave were for Marselan wines from Ningxia. The wines were tasted blind and I would never have guessed they were Chinese. The quality was impressively consistent and the wines were supremely tasty with potential for ageing. Marselan is a Grenache-Cabernet crossing and works brilliantly in the high-altitude vineyards of Ningxia. Cabernet, Merlot, Riesling and Chardonnay are also worth trying, but it was fascinating to taste such good Marselan, a grape that has never excited me before. We visited several wineries with my favourite, perhaps, being the Silver Heights estate, a fine Marselan and some interesting natural and even qvevri wines. Recommendations today include an excellent red from Ningxia and two other wines with a vaguely 'eastern' influence that will suit our current weather. Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses, Languedoc, France, €12 Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses, Languedoc, France, €12 Dunnes Stores Bertrand is a superstar winemaker and this is a great price for a very elegant rosé. A blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah from vineyards near Narbonne with influence from the Mediterranean Sea. In a gorgeous bottle, this pours a pleasing pale pink with light berry fruit aromas mixed with peach and apricot. Supple and fruity but with a dry finish with a bonus touch of ozone. Paparuda Pinot Noir, Cramele Recas, Romania, €13.95 Paparuda Pinot Noir, Cramele Recas, Romania, €13.95 JJ O'Driscolls; Mollys; Vintry; One of the very few Pinot Noirs under €15 that I'm happy to recommend, Recas often win medals at the CMB competition. Red fruit aromas plus blackberry and plum with a tinge of forest floor; ripe and juicy with some pleasing streaks of acidity, structure, and a touch of spice. Also watch for Reca, a similarly inexpensive and tasty Incanta Pinot Noir (1601, Menloe Stores). Kanaan Winery 'Pretty Pony', Ningxia, China 2019, €54.95 Kanaan Winery 'Pretty Pony', Ningxia, China 2019, €54.95 JJ O'Driscolls; Cinnamon Cottage; Drink Store; From the eastern foothills (1000m) of the Helan Mountains in Ningxia, just south of Mongolia. This is quite fascinating, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend, reminiscent of fine Bordeaux but also quite different with a pleasing sweet-savoury complexity. Darkly fruited, juicy and supple, cooked plums and a touch of strawberry coulis, fine-tuned with elegance and length. Kanaan Riesling 2022 (€35) is also worth trying. Beer of the week Hofbräuhaus Natur Radler, 2.3% ABV, 500ml, €2.75 Hofbräuhaus Natur Radler, 2.3% ABV, 500ml, €2.75 Bradleys; Matsons; World Wide Wines; McHughs; Molloys; Independents The sun is out (mostly), there are plenty of warm days left, so time to stock up on Radler, the classic Bavarian summer drink. Ripe lemon and lemon zest aromas with a strong hit of lime, classic München helles lager coming through on the mid-palate and with a bitter lemon twist on the finish.
Borneo Post
18-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Argentine winemaker finds his ideal blend in China
Federico Carabajal, a winemaker from Argentina, checks the growth of grapes at a vineyard of Stone and Moon Winery in Qingtongxia City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Hai) YINCHUAN (May 19): Entering summer, tens of thousands of hectares of wine grapes turn into a green ocean in the Gobi Desert in northwest China. At the eastern foothill of Helan Mountain in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Argentine winemaker Federico Carabajal shuttles busily between the vineyard and the cellar, trimming grape shoots or blending different wines to achieve his desired style. Carabajal, 32, hails from Mendoza, a renowned wine production zone in Argentina. Born into a winemaker's family, he acquired a master's degree in grape cultivation and winemaking and worked in many renowned wineries in Argentina, Spain and the United States before heading to China as a chief winemaker in a winery last year. 'The climate and soils here are very similar to my hometown and the terroir can definitely produce quality wine,' he said, adding that Ningxia's high-quality wines performed exceptionally well in international competitions, luring him to come and make top-class wine in China. The eastern foothill of Helan Mountain in Ningxia, with its dry climate and abundant sunshine, is acclaimed as a 'golden zone' for grape cultivation and premium wine production. It is home to more than 200 wineries. Carabajal vividly recalls his first experience tasting wine made here. 'The palate was impeccably balanced, the aromas strikingly unique, and the quality was quite amazing. You could truly sense the charm bestowed by the region's distinctive terroir,' said the winemaker. Last year, Carabajal faced his first harvest in China, but unexpected rainfall forced an earlier-than-planned grape picking. While he was overwhelmed with anxiety, his Chinese colleagues remained calm, steadily carrying out the tasks at hand. Their composure brought him much-needed comfort. 'I really need to learn from my Chinese coworkers. They are always calm and relaxed,' Carabajal laughed. He is often invited to attend wine-themed meetings, where he likes to talk with other winemakers about vineyard management and lab work. Ningxia has emerged as a rising star on the world wine map within just over 40 years, and international exchange is one of the key reasons for its rapid development. In recent years, the region has introduced over 210 grape varieties from around the world for wine production and collaborated with more than 60 winemakers from 23 countries. These efforts have significantly advanced local grape cultivation practices and elevated the region's winemaking techniques. Maria Teresa Romero Ponce, a Chilean winemaker who worked in Ningxia from 2021 to 2024, created 12 types of wines with nine grape varieties there. Ponce said Marselan grapes are usually used to make dry red wine, but she tried them in ros wine, which was a hit with consumers. The experience in Ningxia was quite unique, she said. Nicolas Billot-Grima (L), founder of Stone and Moon Winery, tastes wine with Federico Carabajal, a winemaker from Argentina, at a cellar in Qingtongxia City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Hai) During his spare time, Carabajal has taught himself Chinese and visited cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Xi'an. He plans to stay in China for at least one more year. 'I'm happy working here, and China is so large and beautiful, with so much to explore and so many delicious foods to try.' When he shares his experiences with friends in Argentina, many express interest in working in China as well. 'If China and Argentina establish an annual exchange program for winemakers, it would greatly benefit both industries,' Carabajal said. – Xinhua China drinking vineyard wine
