China is famous for its teas, but another drink is quickly becoming just as popular. Just ask Pernod Ricard and LVMH
The morning sun is already high in the translucent sky and a gentle, chilling breeze sweeps the endless plains on the outskirts of Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia. As the mist slowly evaporates, exposing a breathtaking view of the rugged Helan Mountains, scores of women dressed in jeans, light jumpers and colourful veils crouch along rows of vines, expertly cutting the dark-coloured, ripe grapes and collecting them in green plastic cases. It’s harvest time, the most important period of the year in this small autonomous region at the gate of the Gobi desert.
Looking at Ningxia’s majestic peaks and orderly vines stretching as far as the eye can see, it is difficult to imagine that, a little more than 20 years ago, the region was just a forlorn stretch of sand inhabited by subsistence farmers. “When I was a kid I used to dig holes in the desert. I would hide there and play together with my friends,” remembers 41-year-old Ren Yanling while sitting in her laboratory during a rare break.
This energetic, hardworking woman was born in the village of Yuquanying, close to the Helan Mountain vineyard where she now works as chief winemaker for the famous French multinational Pernod Ricard. “When I was 15 I would sneak out to have a sip of the wine my parents were making,” she recounts laughing. “My parents didn’t allow me to drink, but I really enjoyed it.”
This story is from the February 2019 edition of Esquire Singapore.
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This story is from the February 2019 edition of Esquire Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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