In this picture taken on August 24, 2024, Sophie Zhou, owner of "uh-huh Wine Bar & Eatery”, pours wine at her bar in Beijing on August 24, 2024. From the dusty vineyards of China's outback to its chic metropolitan bars, women are at the forefront of the country's increasingly vibrant wine scene, spurring innovation at every stage of the production -- and consumption -- process. --GREG BAKER / AFP
YINCHUAN, CHINA—As the female winemaker who put Chinese vintages on the map for the first time, Zhang Jing of Helan Qingxue winery is a trailblazer, but no anomaly.
From the dusty vineyards of China’s outback to its chic metropolitan bars, women are at the forefront of the country’s increasingly vibrant wine scene, spurring innovation at every stage of the production — and consumption — process.
In this picture taken on August 20, 2024, grape vines are seen at dawn at the Silver Heights vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. Ningxia’s continental climate and well-irrigated river valley have made it one of China’s best known wine regions, with harvests beginning from late August. In the winter, however, below freezing temperatures mean the delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
Helan Qingxue sent shock waves through the industry in 2011 when it produced the first Chinese wine to win top honors at the industry’s most prestigious competition, even provoking unsubstantiated claims of fraud.
In this picture taken on August 21, 2024, a worker places bottles in a crate after they were filled with wine at the Helan Qingxue Vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. The wine industry in Ningxia only began in the 1980s, but focused government support and the talent of local producers bore fruit quickly. The region is now internationally recognised for its boutique, world-class vintages, as the fledgling sector continues to evolve. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
Over a decade later, Zhang is one of many Chinese women internationally recognized for their boutique, world-class bottles, as the fledgling sector continues to evolve.
“It’s a very strong female-dominated industry here,” Chinese wine expert Fongyee Walker told AFP.
This photo taken on August 14, 2024 shows a tray of grapes being prepared before being photographed at the Institute of Botany at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. In many of China’s wine producing provinces, the freezing winters mean delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. The quest to create vines that can resist climate challenges without compromising on winemaking potential is one that has been taken up internationally, including at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
“I don’t think there’s been any statistics done. But when I think about a lot of China’s most famous wineries, they’re run by women.”
That’s true in Zhang’s home region, northern Ningxia, where tens of thousands of hectares of vines have been nestled into the terracotta earth beneath the Helan mountain range over the last few decades.
This photo taken on August 14, 2024 shows bottles of wine made from hybrid grape varieties, created at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and resistant to cold and drought, being stored in a cellar at the Institute of Botany at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. In many of China’s wine producing provinces, the freezing winters mean delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. The quest to create vines that can resist climate challenges without compromising on winemaking potential is one that has been taken up internationally, including at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
Aside from Helan Qingxue, many of its best-known producers — Silver Heights, Kanaan Winery, Jade Vineyard — are women-led.
“There are more and more excellent female winemakers (worldwide) now,” Zhang said as she showed AFP around the winery’s cool, dim cellar.
“But it’s very interesting in Ningxia… Female owners and winemakers, female marketing staff and female receptionists probably make up more than 60 percent (of the workforce), so this proportion is quite large.”
In this photo taken on August 22, 2024, plant genetics and breeding researcher Xie Jun displays Chinese hybrid grape varieties Beimei (L) and Beihong (R) at the Ningxia Grape Test Base, an experimental vineyard, in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. In many of China’s wine producing provinces, the freezing winters mean delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. The quest to create vines that can resist climate challenges without compromising on winemaking potential is one that has been taken up internationally, including at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. Ningxia has become somewhat of a testing ground for new hybrid grape varieties developed there, with scientists saying the research could also help combat the threats posed by climate change to the wine industry. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
‘Not a traditional industry’
The Chinese industry’s youth has helped women get a foothold, compared to more established wine-producing countries.
In the West, the sector “is very much dominated by male (figures) because it’s a traditional industry,” said Walker.
“For China, wine is not a traditional industry… It is a very safe sphere to open a company in if you’re a woman.”
In this picture taken on August 20, 2024, winemakers taste wines after a day of sorting grapes during harvesting at the Silver Heights vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. Ningxia’s continental climate and well-irrigated river valley have made it one of China’s best known wine regions, with harvests beginning from late August. In the winter, however, below freezing temperatures mean the delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
In Ningxia, enthusiastic state support for the sector has meant an abundance of opportunities for anyone interested.
Zhang met her cofounders, former officials, when they worked together in local government.
When the two men asked Zhang — then still in her twenties — to be a winemaker for their retirement passion project, she agreed on the condition they send her abroad to study.
In this picture taken on August 20, 2024, workers sort grapes after they were harvested at the Silver Heights vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. Ningxia’s continental climate and well-irrigated river valley have made it one of China’s best known wine regions, with harvests beginning from late August. In the winter, however, below freezing temperatures mean the delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
Many other young women did similarly, said Zhang, and when they returned, were among the best qualified to take advantage as the domestic wine scene picked up pace.
‘Yin flourishing’
Silver Heights’ Emma Gao was one of the first Chinese women to obtain a degree in oenology. These days, her wines are served by President Xi Jinping to European leaders at state dinners.
TOPSHOT – In this picture taken on August 20, 2024, workers harvest grapes at the Silver Heights vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. Ningxia’s continental climate and well-irrigated river valley have made it one of China’s best known wine regions, with harvests beginning from late August. In the winter, however, below freezing temperatures mean the delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
Gao was sent to France’s Bordeaux wine region by her father, who founded the vineyard.
“I think China is very tolerant of women, and we’re even seeing a little bit of yin (the feminine force) flourishing and yang (the masculine) declining,” Gao laughed.
Silver Heights’ angular modern buildings are emblematic of its boundary-pushing nature.
In this picture taken on August 20, 2024, a worker prepares to hose out an empty wine barrel at the Silver Heights vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. Ningxia’s continental climate and well-irrigated river valley have made it one of China’s best known wine regions, with harvests beginning from late August. In the winter, however, below freezing temperatures mean the delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
It is China’s first biodynamically certified vineyard, using natural techniques such as fertilizer made from manure-filled cow horns.
As well as more familiar tall metal cylinders, Gao’s fermentation room contains smaller egg and vase-shaped vessels made of Ningxia clay.
This photo taken on August 14, 2024 shows workers trimming hybrid grape vines at a vineyard at the Institute of Botany at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. In many of China’s wine producing provinces, the freezing winters mean delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. The quest to create vines that can resist climate challenges without compromising on winemaking potential is one that has been taken up internationally, including at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
“China is a relatively new production area, that is, its direction has not yet been determined,” said Gao as she sampled her experiments, nodding approvingly.
“So we can try different planting methods, brewing methods, and fermentation in different containers.”
In this picture taken on August 24, 2024, Sophie Zhou (C), owner of “uh-huh Wine Bar & Eatery”, chats with customers at her bar in Beijing. From the dusty vineyards of China’s outback to its chic metropolitan bars, women are at the forefront of the country’s increasingly vibrant wine scene, spurring innovation at every stage of the production — and consumption — process. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
A sparkling wine that incorporates local rice wine became a sell-out hit: “What every girl should have in her bag to take to a house party, because it has a good story to tell,” Gao said.
In this picture taken on August 20, 2024, workers leave for their village after spending a day harvesting grapes at the Silver Heights vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. Ningxia’s continental climate and well-irrigated river valley have made it one of China’s best known wine regions, with harvests beginning from late August. In the winter, however, below freezing temperatures mean the delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
‘Living for themselves’
Telling compelling stories about wine is influencer Zhu Lili’s domain.
Livestreaming into three cameras in a Beijing restaurant, she described bottle after bottle with easy expertise — her mother runs another award-winning winery.
In this picture taken on August 20, 2024, winemaker Emma Gao (C), the owner of Silver Heights vineyard, sorts grapes after they were harvested at the vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. Ningxia’s continental climate and well-irrigated river valley have made it one of China’s best known wine regions, with harvests beginning from late August. In the winter, however, below freezing temperatures mean the delicate vines must be buried, a labour-intensive and costly process. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
Pop-up links allowed those of her two million followers watching to make immediate purchases.
Online sales are a significant source of revenue for producers — and streamers like Zhu are key to capturing new consumers.
“Middle-aged mothers really love my videos because that’s the life that they didn’t have time to explore,” said Zhu.
In this picture taken on August 21, 2024, winemaker Zhang Jing tastes wine from a barrel at the Helan Qingxue Vineyard in Yinchuan, in China, northern Ningxia region. The wine industry in Ningxia only began in the 1980s, but focused government support and the talent of local producers bore fruit quickly. The region is now internationally recognised for its boutique, world-class vintages, as the fledgling sector continues to evolve. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
Learning about wine feels like “living for themselves.”
China’s classic alcohols — beer and baijiu, a potent grain spirit — are largely associated with and consumed by men.
But “the cultural way that wine is promoted here, it’s very much a sophistication” that appeals to women, Walker said.
Female students are the overwhelming majority on wine courses, Walker and Zhang both noted.
A worker dumps a bucket of grapes from Champagne vines during a harvest at a vineyard in Hautvillers on September 16, 2024. (Photo by FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI / AFP)
Though men still buy more wine, said Zhu, women were more open to trying new things.
“For me, it’s like how Chinese men and women treat fashion,” said Sophie Zhou, who runs a trendy specialist bar among Beijing’s historic alleyways.
Just as women are more likely to try out new season looks, her female customers “usually go for different glasses, so they can try different styles and tastes.”
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