It was China vs The World at a Hong Kong tasting last week, with James Suckling and senior editor / China wine critic Shuai Zekun leading the proceedings.
The event, at James Suckling Wine Central, featured ten wines priced between US$120 and US$500: five from China and five from Planet Earth, led by Argentina, Chile, France, Italy and United States.
The wines were poured in pairs, with 24 imbibers voting on which they preferred:
- Catena Zapata (Mendoza) and Mingyi (Yunnan)
- Lynch-Bages (Bordeaux) and Zhong Fa (Huailai)
- Amici Cellars (Napa) and Helan Qingxue (Ningxia)
- Vina Almaviva (Puente Alto) and DBR Lafite Long Dai (Qiushan)
- Antinori (Tuscany) and Ao Yun (Yunnan)
(Full wine names and prices below.)
The local wines performed well although The World edged out a 3-2 victory.
On WeChat, Shuai said he found the Yunnan Chardonnay’s quality “the same as Grand Cru / Premier Cru” and that overall “these top wines from Cina and top wines from around the world were on par.”
Full details were published today on Suckling’s site, under the title, “Chinese Wines Steal the Show in Tasting Test vs. Global Icons.”
China Wine Prices
I’ve been researching China fine wine prices lately and while many people find them prohibitive, I’m also hearing “yes, but” comments.
Yes, these wines tend to be pricey. But, some are worth it, and perhaps even more, with Yunnan wine often mentioned in this regard
The Hong Kong contest lends support to those who claim at least some fine Chinese wines are worth the price.
To be fair, there are dynamics beyond taste at play.
Some Chinese fine wines lack scale, with production of just hundreds of bottles or a barrel or two. They can also be hard to find. When pricing such wines, I often have to contact people at the wineries to get the info. This is in contrast to the five “world” wines, which have a global presence, with much info about them available.
Nevertheless, such tastings give insights into what kinds of wine people enjoy and are a good sign for Chinese wine in general.
Here are the five pairings from China vs The World tasting. All prices are based on Wine Searcher global averages unless otherwise indicated:
Flight 1
Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard ‘White Bones’ Chardonnay 2022 (Mendoza) | US$128
Mingyi ‘Above the Creek’ Chardonnay 2022 (Yunnan) | Est US$172 in China
Flight 2
Chateau Lynch-Bages (Paulliac) 2019 | US$157
Domaine Franco-Chinois Huailai Reserve (Huailai) 2019 | Est US$210 in China
Flight 3
Amici Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) 2019 | US$249
Helan Qingxue ‘Jiabeilan Reserve’ (Ningxia) 2019 | Est US$115 in China
Flight 4
Vina Almaviva (Puente Alto) 2018 | US$181
DBR Lafite ‘Long Dai’ (Qiushan Valley) 2018 | US$465
Flight 5
Marchesi Antinori Solaia Toscana IGT (Tuscany) 2016 | US$518
Ao Yun Shangri-la 2017 | US$324
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