Young winemakers bring new energy to 'wine capital'

YINCHUAN — During the height of summer, the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region burst with lush greenery.

In recent decades, Ningxia has been dubbed by many as China's "wine capital", with its thriving and unique wine industry becoming a hallmark of the region's transformation.

Now, a wave of young professionals drawn by the region's reputation is injecting fresh vitality into the sector through dedication and innovation.

Liang Ning, a winemaker born in the 1990s, believes that the greatest strength of his generation is their willingness to learn and embrace change.

"The only constant in the world is change itself," he said. "We can only keep adjusting to changes. It's the same in winemaking. Every year, I try some small changes or innovations to bring consumers a better tasting experience."

A native of Ningxia, Liang was inspired to pursue winemaking in 2008 — the year the region's wine industry began to take off.

On his brother's advice, he enrolled in Shandong Agricultural University to study wine production.

After graduating, he spent three years working at a renowned winery in Ningxia, before starting his own venture based on a 13-hectare vineyard in Shaogang township of Ningxia's Qingtongxia city. Together with his family, he established a winery of their own.

"As the manager and winemaker of a small family-run winery, I have to take care of everything from vineyard management to production techniques and marketing," Liang said. "It's certainly stressful, but being able to make wine entirely based on my own ideas — this sense of achievement is irreplaceable."

Their winery now produces more than 30,000 bottles a year, which are mainly sold in China's southeastern coastal regions.

Liang's 13 years of deep involvement in the region align perfectly with the expansion of Ningxia's wine industry. As of 2024, Ningxia had over 40,000 hectares of wine grape vineyards, accounting for nearly 40 percent of China's total. It is home to 261 wine companies, including 130 completed wineries.

The region now produces 140 million bottles of wine annually, and wines from more than 80 local wineries have won over 1,800 awards at international competitions such as Decanter, Brussels and Berlin.

This rising star in the global wine landscape is increasingly becoming a magnet for talent. From homegrown professionals and overseas returnees to second-generation winemakers continuing their family legacies, the region is attracting a diverse range of talent.

Wang Fei, assistant winemaker at Xige Estate, is one of those returnees.

Born in 1997 in Shandong province, she studied viticulture and enology in New Zealand and France.

In 2022, she returned to China and worked as an assistant viticulturist at a winery owned by Moet Hennessy before joining Xige Estate, a leading boutique winery in Ningxia.

"I chose to come to Ningxia because I saw the potential here," Wang said. "Compared with traditional wine regions, Ningxia offers more opportunities for innovation. That's very attractive to young people."

Drawing on her international experience and innovative mindset, Wang is working to blend Western winemaking techniques with the unique characteristics of Chinese terroir environmental factors to craft wines that resonate with local palates.

"Traditional wines tend to be rich and heavy. I prefer wines with soft tannins that are easy to drink," she said.

Whether in the vineyard or the cellar, Wang is experimenting with new approaches — harvesting grapes slightly earlier, adjusting fermentation temperatures, and trying out new techniques and additives.

To support industry growth, Ningxia has prioritized talent development. Founded in 2013, the School of Enology and Horticulture at Ningxia University now trains over 100 specialists annually.

Although Wang has already experienced several harvest seasons, this year marks a milestone for her.

"This is my first time independently making wine. I'm really looking forward to it and hope our wines perform well," she said.

China's wine industry has seen steady growth in recent years, with domestic brands gradually gaining recognition both at home and abroad. Among various regions, Ningxia has stood out for its quality, scale, and international presence.

As of May, Ningxia had cultivated 30 well-known wine import and export enterprises. In 2024, the region's wine exports reached 13.75 million yuan ($1.92 million).

The new generation of winemakers is not bound by tradition. They embrace new technologies and ideas and bring a deep understanding of terroir, nature, and culture — qualities crucial to upgrading the industry, according to industry experts.

Xinhua