产区详情

Yunnan is a province in the south of China, bordering Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. The tropical, mountainous terrain in this part of the country is supporting an increasing amount of viticulture, mostly based around the mysterious hybrid varieties Rose Honey, French Wild and Crystal.

A chain of mountains runs through the western part of Yunnan's 152,000 square miles (394,000 sq km), giving rise to a landscape that is not well suited to commercial, large-scale agriculture. However, the warm climate is moderated by the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and the growing season here is correspondingly long and favorable. A selection of crops, including rice, tea, coffee, wheat and tobacco, is produced on the few areas of arable land available in Yunnan. Viticulture has become an important part of the agricultural economy here, particularly in the past few decades.

Yunnan's viticultural history is somewhat cloudy, particularly in regards to its main grape varieties. Rose Honey, French Wild and Crystal are thought to have been brought to China from France by missionaries during the 19th Century. These vines were planted throughout South-east Asia to make wines for sacramental purposes, and today many of the commercial vines in Yunnan come from these original plants. It is believed that the vines became extinct in Europe during the phylloxera epidemic of the 1880s, and researchers have since been unable to determine the exact provenance of these vines.

Since the 1980s, Yunnan producers have focused more carefully on wine quality, and as in many other parts of China, international producers are starting to take notice. Moet Hennessy has opened a winery in Deqen County in the north of Yunnan (the supposed location of 'Shangri-la'), and Bordeaux winemaker Pierre Lurton (of Cheval Blanc and Chateau d'Yquem) has also expressed interest in the province.

Yunnan lies between latitudes 21°N to 29°N, which is similar to the Sahara Desert in Africa. The temperatures usually associated with low latitudes are moderated by the high altitudes here, and vineyards at elevations as high as 6000ft (1800m) above sea level are saved from the ill-effects of the heat by significantly cooler nights. The diurnal temperature variation during the growing season helps to extend the ripening period, allowing grapes to develop flavor along with acidity. Mineral resources are abundant in Yunnan, and as a result, soils throughout the province are rich in minerals.

While Yunnan is not yet as famous viticulturally as Shandong and Ningxia, its wine industry is rapidly growing.