Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill Wine Region Masterclass

The "Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill Wine Region Masterclass" organized by the Administrative Committee of Wine Industry Zone of Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill, was successfully held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Following last year's successful event, this year it returned to Hong Kong, with China’s youngest wine master, David Xing, as the instructor, attracting over 70 professional wine enthusiasts, industry insiders, and media participants, with a very positive response.

The master class aimed to deeply showcase the unique terroir and winemaking potential of the Ningxia Helan Mountain East Foot Wine Region. Master Xing Wei provided insightful explanations, introducing the core advantages of the region to attendees. Ningxia is China's largest wine grape planting area, covering 38,000 hectares. The region is located in the golden latitude zone of 37 to 39 degrees north, with an average growing season temperature of 17.7 degrees, an average elevation of about 1,200 meters, and a continental climate, receiving an average annual rainfall of about 200 millimeters. The frost-free period is relatively short (160-180 days), and the soil is predominantly alkaline with high calcium content and gravel, providing excellent conditions for grape cultivation.

Ningxia's terroir is shaped by "a father mountain," Helan Mountain, and "a mother river," the Yellow River. Helan Mountain serves as a natural barrier against sandstorms and cold currents, while the Yellow River effectively regulates the microclimate during the grape growing season. The region is further subdivided into six distinctive sub-regions, including: Shizuishan in the north, Helan at the foot of Helan Mountain, Yinchuan known for its early development of boutique wineries, Yongning as the birthplace of the Ningxia wine industry, Qingtong Gorge at the end of the Helan Mountain range, and Hongsi Fort in the south.

During the event, instructor Master Xing Wei led participants in tasting eight selected fine wines from the region, in the following order:

Devor Winery MV04 NV
Li's Sun Flower Chardonnay White Wine 
Domaine Charme, Viognier Dry White Wine
Helan Qingxue Vineyards, Jia Bei Lan Pinot Noir Baby Feet 
Chateau Copower Jade, Fei Tswei Reserve Marselan,
Jade Vineyard Cui Cabernat Franc Red 
Helanhong Reserve Dry Red Wine
Huangkou Petit Manseng

The development of Ningxia wine is truly legendary. From the establishment of the first winery, "Yuquan Winery," in 1983, to becoming a pillar industry of the autonomous region in 1996; from the remarkable success in 2011 of " Jia Bei Lan's Grand Reserve 2009" made a stunning impression at the Decanter World Wine Awards, winning the highest accolade. By 2013, the region was included in the authoritative "World Wine Map," marking its formal recognition on the international stage. President Xi Jinping also visited the local wine industry in 2016 and 2020, offering high praise and providing powerful motivation for the industry's development.

The reappearance of the "China Ningxia Helan Mountain East Foot Wine Region Master Class" in Hong Kong not only highlights the continuous progress and exceptional quality of the Ningxia wine industry but also opens a wider international avenue for the "purple business card" to reach the world. In recent years, under strong policy guidance and the collaborative efforts of regional enterprises, the Ningxia wine industry has advanced towards standardization, professionalism, and internationalization in grape cultivation, winery production, and brand promotion, consistently winning international awards and increasingly earning recognition in domestic and overseas markets. With ongoing deepening of regional construction and expansion of global cooperation, Ningxia wine will undoubtedly create a more confident presence in the world, showcasing the colorful charm of Eastern flavors.

The "Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill Wine Region Masterclass" was hosted by China Ningxia Helan Mountain International Wine., Ltd. The event not only deepened recognition of Ningxia wine in the Hong Kong market but further promoted exchanges and cooperation between Ningxia and the international wine community, laying a solid foundation for the region's global development strategy.