These are the best Chinese wines!

and they will make history...

I’ve witnessed history…

April is a significant month for the Chinese wine industry. It hosts the country's largest wine fair, Chengdu Tang Jiu Hui (成都糖酒会), which translates to "Candies and Alcohols Exhibition of Chengdu". Every year, hundreds of thousands of professionals flock to the capital city of the Sichuan Province to connect with potential distributors and suppliers and to participate in various wine events.

One of these events was a forum organized by Xige Estate, one of the leading wineries of the Ningxia region. I was invited as a guest speaker and asked to answer, "Can the best Chinese wines compete with the best from the West?" My answer was clear: "No." 

I've lived in China for twenty years and worked in the domestic wine industry for over 15 years. Between 2017 and today, I've tasted well over 3,000 local wines with the objective (back then) of publishing a guide on Chinese wines. So I did taste those wines very conscientiously, often under blind-tasting conditions. Yet, I had never tasted a Chinese wine that could rival the quality of the best Western wines. Of course, I explained why in a very diplomatic way (I'm pretty good in Chinese at getting messages passed down without offending anyone). We had a great dinner with a lot of "gan bei". We left very late. I went to bed. And that was it.

Then something remarkable happened the next day… I ran into Louis Perromat from the Château Cérons family in Bordeaux. I met him for the first time in Nanning a few years ago, where he came to promote his family's wines. Last year, during an event at Domaine de Chevalier, I met his parents, who told me he was now working for a mysterious estate in Yunnan. "Is it the one owned by two brothers from Guangdong province?" I asked. "Yes, it is." I immediately knew.

—Rewinding two years ago—

I met M. Zhan, a businessman from Chaozhou (a city 400km East of Guangzhou), at a private dinner during the Interwine Competition in Guangzhou. He brought an unlabelled bottle of wine for us to taste, stating that this was his wine, produced in Yunnan and was to be launched in a few years. "All right, another dreamer", I thought. I smelled the wine… "Wow! Wait a minute!" I tasted the wine… "What the heck!? This cannot be Chinese! This is a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon!” I was astounded by the quality. I had never tasted a wine of this quality in China. It was WAY above those wines that are widely spoken about (and that are way over-scored…). But I have a principle: never praise a wine if you have only tasted it once, especially if you tasted it in a friendly environment and think this might be the best wine in China! 

—Fast forward back to Chengdu—

-Louis, is THE wine here?

-Well, we don't have the one you tasted in Guangzhou, but we have another one…

-Can I taste it?

-I don't know if Mr Zhan will be ok… We opened the bottle this morning, and it's 4:00 pm. He'll certainly want you to taste under better conditions.

-I'm a good taster, don't worry. I'll still be able to assess the quality.

-All right, let's try.

We walked into a room filled with Chilean wines (the Zhan brothers used to own vineyards in Chile, but they sold everything to focus on their Chinese adventure). Mr Zhan was there. Louis disappeared behind a backdoor and returned with the bottle in his hand. Mr Zhan immediately went to speak to his ear. I knew what he was saying, so I immediately interrupted the conversation: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing". And here was the wine:

“Célèbre 2018, Hauts Plateaux de l’Himalaya”. Although I find the French name lacking, I love the minimalist design. And the name of the region of origin — "High Plateaus of the Himalayas", is just entrancing.

I tasted the wine and immediately knew I was witnessing history. I published on my WeChat Moments the same day: "Yesterday, during the Xige forum, I said that the best Chinese wines aren't on par with those from Western countries. I take back these words." But again, I had to re-taste the wine, so the youngest of the brothers, Ziam, came to Nanning with a few bottles in his suitcase. I could re-taste Célèbre and Dan Sheng Di, the wine I first tasted two years ago in Guangzhou. And there were enough bottles to taste them twice (which I did)! Here are my tasting notes:

Célèbre, Hauts Plateaux de l’Himalaya, China, 2018

This wine is primarily made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, but a few other varieties have found their way between the rows. The winery's technical aspects are entirely supervised by Patrick Valette, previously of the Château Pavie family (before it was sold to Mr Perse in 1998).

After tasting this wine three times from three different bottles in various settings, it consistently showcased two standout characteristics: "elegance" and "refinement". This wine isn't heavy or full-bodied, but instead, it's a delicate, svelte, and graceful liquid endowed with a beautiful perfume of violets, ripe cassis and juicy blackberries. Impressively, there isn't any trace of pyrazine, which is responsible for Cabernet Sauvignon's capsicum aroma. Instead, the wine exhibits pristine fruits and flowers, complemented by a thin haze of smoky oak. Although the alcohol is relatively high, it stays rightly in its lane without stepping over the line. The structure is tightly woven with fine-grained tannins. The fresh, long finish is dominated by a concentrated blend of prunes and dark chocolate, leaving a lasting impression on the palate.

This first vintage of Célèbre from the Zhan brothers will undoubtedly become a collector: on top of being the cuvée's first vintage, I’m convinced that this wine will finally put China, and especially the “Hauts Plateaux de l’Himalaya” region, on the world map of fine wines. 94pts

Dan Sheng Di, Bucun, Hauts Plateaux de l’Himalaya, China, 2018

Marketed and managed as a different winery, Dan Sheng Di is the "big brother" of Célèbre. Two reds were made for the first vintage, named after the villages where the grapes were picked: Bucun and Sulu. I haven't tasted Sulu yet, but I have tasted Bucun two times, and still, I haven't a definitive opinion on this wine. 

It is definitely more characterful than Célèbre, with way more intensity and concentration. It speaks more of its origin, with distinct tea leaves, liquorice, red dates, dark olives, prunes, dry figs, tobacco leaves and black forest cake. As you can see, it is aromatically very different from its little brother! But it's very different in structure, too: the palate is richer and fuller-bodied, with a riper mouthfeel framed by chunky yet soft tannins. The finish is also more concentrated and longer, leaving a smoky caramel tinge. While the nose seemed more evolved than Célèbre, the palate offered much more, leaving you with a sense of intrigue.

I'm still undecided on which one I prefer, but Bucun has something that kept me returning to the glass many times, trying to unravel its complexity. I believe I'll have to re-re-taste it before giving my final opinion. ??pts

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Bucun left me with a fascinating thought. As I tasted the wines during a dinner, one of my friends commented that they preferred Célèbre over Bucun, citing Bucun's distinct Chinese medicinal flavour profile as the reason.

Indeed, while Célèbre may have a more "international" flavour profile (I challenge anyone to find its country of origin under blind conditions!), Bucun possesses a unique character that is undeniably Chinese. When I write in my tasting note that Bucun is more "characterful", there are two readings: 1. it is more intensely perfumed, and 2. it presents a more characteristic Chinese taste. However, the key to Bucun's appeal is that it exudes its Chinese identity "in a noble way". The comparison with pyrazines in Cabernet highlights how certain flavours can be discriminated against, yet when expressed in a refined manner, they can enhance a wine's layered complexity. Similarly, Bucun's Chinese medicinal character is expressed in a manner that adds character and depth to the wine. A great wine should not only be enjoyable but also stimulate the senses and the mind. In that sense, Bucun is a wine that challenges the palate and encourages questioning - qualities that I believe make for a truly great wine.