Xinjiang
Main grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Vidal
Climate: A truly continental climate here – Xinjiang is actually home to the point on land that is furthest from any ocean. Officially, however, it is classed as semi-arid desert climate, which is characterised by hot summers and very cold winters. On the northern side of the mountains they take full advantage of these cold temperatures, and several producers have enjoyed a lot of success with the ice wines they have made with the hybrid grape variety Vidal.
You should know… Xinjiang covers an ENORMOUS 640,000 square miles, which put into perspective is larger than the states of Texas and California combined. Much of the area is either desert or mountain, with the majority of viticulture occurring along the southern edge of the Tian Shan mountain range. Wine production has over 300 years of history in this region, however today the viticulture is very much focused in the stream of French inspired wines, both in terms of grape varieties and the highly modernized and industrialized winemaking techniques they use.
Climate: A truly continental climate here – Xinjiang is actually home to the point on land that is furthest from any ocean. Officially, however, it is classed as semi-arid desert climate, which is characterised by hot summers and very cold winters. On the northern side of the mountains they take full advantage of these cold temperatures, and several producers have enjoyed a lot of success with the ice wines they have made with the hybrid grape variety Vidal.
You should know… Xinjiang covers an ENORMOUS 640,000 square miles, which put into perspective is larger than the states of Texas and California combined. Much of the area is either desert or mountain, with the majority of viticulture occurring along the southern edge of the Tian Shan mountain range. Wine production has over 300 years of history in this region, however today the viticulture is very much focused in the stream of French inspired wines, both in terms of grape varieties and the highly modernized and industrialized winemaking techniques they use.