The wines of China: a look at the country's wine-producing regions
As more wine is being downed in China each year, vineyards are starting to spring up around the country as winemakers - both Chinese and international - begin to test the local ground.
A recent study by Vinexpo - the major wine industry fair which is set to hold its Asia Pacific edition in Hong Kong from May 29 to 31 - claimed that intake of wine per capita in China is set to rise by almost 20 percent in the next two years.
At the same time, wine production in China is set to rise at a rate of around 30 percent this year - and as the industry expands, so too will the amount of Chinese wine coming out on to the market.
Already, some of the world's leading wine makers are also taking root in the country - a trend leading wine industry players say can only help improve upon and expand the quality of the labels currently on shelves in China and, increasingly, around the world.
What helps the wine industry in China is the country's vast and diverse landscape, a factor that means the conditions at virtually any of the world's major wine-making regions can be replicated.
The famed Chateau Lafite Rothschild, for example, has recently started planting more than 60 acres in the eastern Shandong province - in partnership with the state-run CITIC investment company - and its winery is situated at latitude 37º, exactly the same as the famed regions of Bordeaux and Napa Valley.
The Chinese market is currently mainly focused on red wine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, wines most fancied by the domestic drinker - but winemakers hope one day soon they will also be pleasing palates across the globe.
A quick guide to China's major wine-growing regions and their wineries:
Xinjiang
Where: Northwest. Why: Hot, dry summers ensure few problems with disease. Who: Xiangdu Winery
Hebei
Where: North. Why: Summers are dry and winters are warmer than in Xinjiang. Who: Great Wall, Dragon Seal
Shangdong
Where: East. Why: The region with the longest wine-making tradition in China. Who: Chateau Junding, Changyu Pioneer Wine
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