Ao Yun 敖云

Nestled high in the foothills of the Himalayas in Deqin County, Yunnan—near the legendary city of Shangri-La—Ao Yun, meaning “soaring above the clouds,” is a visionary project launched by LVMH to craft world-class wine in an unexpected terroir. Following a four-year search for a site with Bordeaux-like potential, the estate was founded in 2012 across four remote villages—Adong, Xidang, Sinong, and Shuori—spanning around 30 hectares at elevations between 2,200 and 2,600 metres.

The vineyards lie within the UNESCO-protected Three Parallel Rivers region, where a natural rain-shadow effect, strong UV light, and marked diurnal shifts allow for slow, even ripening. The result is thick-skinned grapes with deep colour, aromatic intensity, and fine, silky tannins. Villagers hand-farm more than 900 small plots, harvest dates stretch out among the longest in the world. This is frontier winemaking at its most ambitious. Ao Yun is one of China’s most prestigious and collectible wines.