Chinese Wine Region Establishes Classification Modeled on Bordeaux's

(WineSpectator) - As China tries to build a domestic wine industry and grapples with the inevitable growing pains, one region is adopting measures in an attempt to guarantee quality. Ningxia, which has grabbed some attention as a promising spot for Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends, recently introduced a winery classification system. Modeled on the Bordeaux 1855 Classification, but with updated rules and a required renewal every two years, it ranks wineries in five levels. The organizers hope the system will recognize and encourage Ningxia wineries that consistently produce high-quality wine and assist consumers in making an informed selection.

Located in central China, about a two-hour flight from Beijing, Ningxia currently has more than 100 wineries. In 2013, a group of international wine experts including viticulture specialists and educators conducted the first wave of the classification, judging participating wineries by quality of wine, quality of vineyards and quality of tourist activities at the winery, including restaurants and lodging. The judges selected 10 wineries as fifth-growths. In 2015, participants will be evaluated again and some may be promoted to fourth-growth; in 2017 some may be able to earn the rank of third-growth, etc. The goal is that in eight years there could be wineries classified in all five levels. If quality doesn’t remain high, wineries will be bumped back a level or dropped from the classification.

In order to be considered, wineries must make at least 4,166 cases and farm at least 13 acres of vineyards. In addition, they must adhere to Ningxia winemaking regulations, which state that at least 75 percent of grapes must come from the region and 85 percent must be of the same variety and from the same vintage listed on the bottle.