At the ongoing international wine expo held in northwest
China, the exhibition stall of Stone and Moon Winery is abuzz
with enthusiastic visitors as founder Nicolas Billot-Grima
passionately showcases his range of wines.
The Fourth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and
Tourism Expo kicked off on Friday in Yinchuan, the capital of
northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, drawing wine
experts, enthusiasts and enterprises from both home and
abroad.
"The event is crucial as it allows me to stay updated on the
latest wine-producing technology and equipment. It also offers
opportunities to promote my winery," said Billot-Grima, a
regular participant in the expo, whose winery is nestled in
Ningxia's eastern foot of Helan Mountain.
Ningxia, renowned for its unique grape-growing
conditions, produced its first bottle of wine in 1984. Today
it has become China's largest wine-producing region and is gaining
prominence on the global stage.
At the expo's opening ceremony, John Barker, director
general of the International Organization of Vine and
Wine, highlighted how well Ningxia performs in international
wine competitions and exhibitions, underscoring its emerging
reputation as a world-class wine region.
BURGEONING WINE MECCA
Originally from Bordeaux in France, Billot-Grima has deep
roots in the winemaking industry. He ventured to China in 1987 to
develop a wine business, and has since gained extensive
experience in wineries across the country. In 2017, he settled
in Ningxia and founded the Stone and Moon Winery.
"The weather, soil and political incentives are crucial for
developing a vineyard in Ningxia," he explained. "I have poured my
passion into creating exceptional wines from this region to
demonstrate that Chinese and Ningxia wines can be world-class."
Situated near the 38th parallel north, similar to renowned
wine regions like Bordeaux, Ningxia's wine-producing areas
enjoy an ideal terroir with a dry climate and abundant
sunshine, making the region a golden zone for wine grape
cultivation.
In recent years, the Ningxia government has introduced
financial support policies and promoted the adoption of smart
irrigation systems to advance the local wine industry. In
May, new regulations were implemented to protect wine
production areas at the eastern foot of Helan
Mountain, fostering high-quality development of this
sector.
Thanks to its favorable terroir and strong policy
backing, Ningxia has emerged as a burgeoning wine
hub, now housing 261 wineries and grape-growing enterprises.
The region has collaborated with more than 60 international
winemakers from 23 countries, and drawn investment from major
domestic and international liquor brands, including Pernod
Ricard, Changyu and Great Wall.
In March, the Stone and Moon Winery welcomed its new head
winemaker, Federico Carabajal, from
Mendoza, Argentina's renowned wine-producing province.
"When I first tasted the wine from Ningxia, I was amazed by
its exceptional flavor, which sparked a strong desire in me to
explore this region. The soil, climate and wine-making
equipment here remind me of my hometown, evoking a sense of
familiarity," said the 31-year-old.
GREEN INDUSTRY
In 2007, while exploring real estate opportunities in
Ningxia, entrepreneur Chen Deqi from east China's Fujian
Province encountered the Gobi Desert at the eastern foot of Helan
Mountain. Intrigued by its potential, he sent a soil sample to
France for analysis and was thrilled to discover that the land
could produce some of the world's finest grapes.
Chen immediately signed a contract with the local
government, securing 100,000 mu (about 6,667 hectares) of
barren Gobi land for grape cultivation. Through a decade of
efforts, he developed over 40,000 mu of high-quality wine
grapes and founded the Holansoul Winery.
Over the past decade, the booming local wine industry has
resulted in 380,000 mu of barren land being transformed into a lush
oasis, creating a 195-km-long green belt of grapevines.
The improved ecological conditions have also encouraged local
wineries to integrate the wine industry with cultural tourism.
Yuan Yuan, who owns the Yuanshi Vineyard, said that
over the past decade, the winery has developed over 8,000 mu
of ecological forests, restored over 6,000 mu of abandoned
mining sites and planted over 3,000 mu of wine grapes. It now
functions as a comprehensive ecological winery, blending grape
cultivation, wine production and tourism.
"Since it opened officially to the public in 2014, the
winery has attracted numerous tourists and our wines have also
gained popularity," Yuan said, noting that it welcomed over
50,000 visitors during this year's May Day holiday.
According to official data, Ningxia is now home to 63
wineries that offer tourism services, attracting over 3
million visitors annually. Its wine industry provides 130,000 local
jobs and generates approximately 1.2 billion yuan in income each
year.
Source: The Fourth China (Ningxia) International Wine
Culture and Tourism Expo
Contact person: Mr.Ding, Tel: 86-10-63074558