Hebei 河北

Hebei province has hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. It is mountainous in the north (where some vineyards are located over 1,000m above sea level) and has flat floodplains in the south. The region has a long history of winemaking, its proximity to Beijing enhancing demand and providing good marketing and sales channels. The main wine-producing areas are the coastal Changli county and the hilly Huailai county (with Shacheng and the Yan Huai River Valley becoming rising-star regions). Some of the grape varieties grown here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Marselan and Riesling. Vines in Changli require manual burying in winter to insulate them from the freezing temperatures and Siberian winds.


 Excerpt from The Chinese Wine Renaissance: A Wine Lover’s Companion.