Farmers pick ripe grapes in the area. [Photo provided to China Daily]
On March 26, twenty-four wineries in the region of the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain were unveiled in Shanghai, showcasing the charm of Ningxia as a wine capital for people throughout the country.
The east foothills of Helan Mountain in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region has been recognized by the industry as one of the "golden zones" for vineyards suited for cultivating wine grapes and producing high-end wines.
At present, the wine grape planting area in Ningxia, the largest contiguous wine grape producing area in China, has reached 583,000 mu (about 38,886 hectares), more than one-third of that of the whole country.
There are currently 228 wineries and planting entities in Ningxia, which have an annual output of 138 million bottles of wine, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total production of domestic wineries.
The brand value of "Helan Mountain Eastern Foothill Wine" amounts to 30.107 billion yuan (about $4.38 billion), ranking 9th among China's geographical indication products in the regional brand list. The wine is exported to more than 40 countries and regions including France, Germany, and Belgium.
"I had heard about the Helan Mountain's east foothill before, and today I grasped this opportunity to deepen my impression of Ningxia wine. It is quite delightful and amazing to see how Ningxia wine is becoming more diverse. I believe that it will soon replace imported wine in the domestic market," a wine lover from Shanghai told reporters.
The "Tour of Ningxia Quality Products in China" will be held in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing from March 26 to 31, displaying more than 100 wines from the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain in Ningxia.
