The day before yesterday, James Suckling (hereinafter referred to as JS), one of the world's top 3 famous wine critics, released the 2021 China Wine Top 100 list, which is the first time that JS has evaluated the top 100 Chinese wines. Over the past year, JS has sampled nearly 300 Chinese wines and selected 100 of the best. Among them, the West Pigeon Winery and Tashi Walnut Tree Winery introduced by wine encyclopedia have some wine models selected.
Below, let's take a look at which other wines have been selected for the top 100 list together with the wine encyclopedia (there is a complete list at the end of the main text, be sure to see the last)!
What are the top 10 wines on the list?
10th place: 2017 Helan Qingxue Gaberan Special Treasure Dry Red 94 points
Helan Qingxue Winery was founded in 2005 by Rong Jian, then President of ningxia Autonomous Region Grape Industry Association, Secretary General Wang Fengyu and renowned winemaker Zhang Jing. Its name is taken from one of the eight scenic spots in Ningxia, such as Huangsha Gudu and Guanqiao Liushi, and it is said that in June, you can still see the snow on Helan Mountain under the blue sky and clear sky. It is the first boutique winery in Ningxia and an indispensable name on the milestone of the development of domestic wine.
In 2011, at the Decanter World Wine Awards held in London, the flagship wine of Helan Qingxue Winery, the 2009 Gaberan Special Collection of Dry Red, won the highest award "International Special Award", which was the first time that Chinese wine won an international award at a top international wine competition, which also kicked off the prelude to Chinese wine's entry into the world.
This flagship dry red is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, and this 2017 vintage of Gabeland's Special Collection of Dry Reds was also ranked 10th in JS China's 10th Best, praising: "This wine exudes exquisite notes of gooseberry, dark chocolate, Earl Grey tea, cedar and a hint of truffle. The creamy, creamy texture of the oak barrels is addictive! The drink is very elegant and delicate in the mouth, the tannins are firm and smooth, and they are quite chewy. This wine will always be one of the best red wines in Ningxia, and its alcohol content fully demonstrates the restrained charm of the wine. It is now ready for drinking or stored for several years. ”
9th place: In 2015, the chief winemaker of the Great Wall Sanggan Winery, Zhen, made Cabernet Sauvignon dry red 95 points
Founded in 1978, Great Wall Sanggan Winery is a national wine research base selected by the five ministries and commissions of the state in 1978, and is also the birthplace of China's first bottle of dry wine. Located on the banks of the beautiful Sanggan River in Hebei Province, Sanggan Winery has been carrying the sacred mission of state banquet wine since its establishment and has won numerous awards in many international competitions. The Chief Winemaker of great wall mulberry winery, Zhen Brewing Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Red, is the high-end flagship wine of the winery, which is personally handled by Michel Rolland, the world's most influential flying winemaker and chief winemaker of Mulberry Winery, and has devoted himself to the strength of the winery's winemaking team.
For the 2015 vintage's flagship dry red, JS said: "This wine exudes blackcurrants, classic humidors and hints of mint, sandalwood and red peppers, making it ripe, intense and deep. The entrance is the full body of Cabernet Sauvignon, the acidity is fresh and juicy, and the tannins are solid, mature and soft as velvet, which is very subtle! The structure is very good, the style is exquisite, rich in layers, it is a very concentrated, classic and quite long aftertaste of dry red. If you want to drink it now, it is recommended to decant the wine; or drink it in 5-10 years. ”
8th place: 2015 100 poems collection of Syrah dry red 94 points
Chapter and Verse is a canaanite brand, and the meaning behind it is a tribute to the creativity of Chinese people, and it is also an ode to the hundreds of winemakers who pour passion, pride and sweat into the wine. "Hundred Poems" is from the Tang Dynasty poem Saint Du Fu's work - the Eight Immortals song in drinking. Poetry is metaphorical to wine, and hundreds of metaphors are metaphorical to levels.
In addition to the rare owner's collection, there are 3 common series of poems, from low to high: preferred, special and rare, and the 2015 Poetry Collection of 100 poems that was praised by JS this time belongs to the highest-end wine. "This rare Syrah dry red exudes mouth-watering notes of black pepper, red fruit and blueberries, as well as hints of orange peel and salty meat," says JS. Its medium-bodied, energetic wine makes you can't help but take one sip after another! The aftertaste is slightly spicy, yet gives a gentle and ethereal feel, very long-lasting and silky. It's tempting to drink it now, so what are you waiting for? ”
7th place: 2018 Rongyuan Winery Red Square Seal Snake Dragon Ball Dry Red 94 points
Founded in 2015, Rongyuan Mei Winery is located in the core production area of Ganchengzi in the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain, Ningxia, and is a winery integrating planting production, reception and tasting, accommodation, catering, sightseeing and tourism, and sales. The winery grows grape varieties such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Marselan, Malbec, Cabernet Gernischt and Cabernet franc, with an annual production of more than 200,000 bottles.
At present, Rongyuan Mei Winery mainly has these two brands: Red Square Seal and Zhuangyuan. This time, in 2018, Rongyuan Winery Red Square Seal Snake Dragon Ball Dried Red scored JS 94 points, ranking 7th in the top 100 list. JS commented: "This wine exudes a rich, live herbal, tangerine peel, white pepper and salty black plums, and the entrance is very juicy, authentic and personal. It is also very strong to drink, but it does not feel heavy at all. The aftertaste is long and inviting. This is perhaps the best performing snake dragon ball dry red in Ningxia? Drink it now is delicious and effortless, no need to wait! ”
6th place: 2017 Blues Chateau Yu Jasmine Cabernet Sauvignon dry red 94 points
Founded in 2014 by Wu Zhigang, an architect from the school, Lansai Winery is located at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain. The name of the winery "Lan Sai" is derived from the artistic conception of "the blue dome of the sea begins to dry, plug in the yun to open up the acres of land", and from design to construction are handled by Wu Zhigang and his lover, green bricks and gray tiles, carved beams and paintings, all of which are the styles of traditional Chinese architecture, which is a real Chinese-style winery.
The winery hired Deng Zhongxiang (pictured left below), who had learned in Burgundy, France, as a winemaking consultant. In the 2021 Ningxia Helan Shandong Lu Wine Region Graded Winery Appraisal Results released by the Ningxia Helan Mountain Donglu Grape and Wine Federation, Lansai Winery was newly promoted to a third-class winery, with strong strength.
JS praised the 2017 Lancerelle Champagne Yu Jasmine Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Red, which was produced by the winery: "This wine exudes cedar oak, blackcurrant and tobacco leaves, the entrance is creamy and smooth, extremely complex and delicate, full of body, strong flavor, fine tannins, and a long aftertaste, which lasts for a minute!" A bit of a Rioja dry red feel. Drink it now without any pressure, but it is recommended to let it go. ”
5th place: 2019 Yongdai Hill Dry Red 95 points
Domaine de Long Dai is located in Penglai, Shandong Province, and is owned by the Same Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lathschild) along with Chateau Lafite Rothschild. The word "瓏岱" carries the hope of the Lafite Group, implying that the wine produced by the Château is the product of the perfect combination of human painstaking cultivation and natural terroir.
The 2019 Sandson Dry Red is the winery's flagship dry red, blended with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Marselan and 9% Cabernet Franc, producing around 2,500 cases per annum. JS was impressed by the 5th place this time: "If you want to drink this wine now, you should sober up." It's a wonderful red berries and fresh blueberry and black cherry, with subtle aromas of spices, sandalwood, violet flowers and minerals. When you drink it, you can feel that the body of the wine is medium to full, the tannins are firm, and there is a slight graininess. It's a little dry, serious and firm at first, but you can feel more sweet and fruity when you leave it for a while. It is a firm, powerful and pure wine. If you drink it now, you can decant the bottle for 2-3 hours after opening, but it is more recommended to enjoy it after 2-3 years. ”
4th place: 2015 Sino-French Manor Small Man Sheng Sweet White 95 points
Originally a project of cooperation between the Chinese and French Ministries of Agriculture, domaine franco-Chinois began growing grapes in 2001 and winemaking in 2003. 16 grape varieties and 21 strains were introduced. Nowadays, Marselan and Petit Manseng, which are common in the market, were first introduced to China by Sino-French manors and began to be planted. In 2010, Sino-French Estate was acquired by Canaan Investments and became a sister winery with Canaan Wines, also in Huailai.
This 2015 Chinese French estate Xiao Man Sheng Sweet White adopts a late harvest method, allowing the ripe grapes to experience nearly a month of strong wind and sunshine on the branches, and some of the water in the fruit is evaporated, so that the juice yield of Little Munson is only between 35% and 40%. James Sakhalin praised: "It is a rich, complex, delicate, layered sweet white, with aromas of dried figs, pineapple and papaya, but also the unique hay aroma of Xiao Mansheng." When you drink it, the sweetness of honey, the spicy taste of ginger and the fruity taste of dried tropical fruits are intertwined, which is very delicate and tempting. Fruity and bright acidity. It was so wonderful."
3rd place: 2018 Xiaoling dry red 95 points
Xiaoling Winery is located in the upper lancang river valley of Shangri-La, "Xiaoling" has the meaning of towering mountains, from its name, it is not difficult to see the rugged environment of the winery's wine production area, and the winemaker's eager expectations for wine quality. One of the founders of the winery, a wine lover from France, was attracted by the excellent terroir and long history of viticulture here, so he decided to continue the Spirit of the French Missionary and interpret the wine with Chinese terroir with the winemaking process of Burgundy. The annual production of the winery is very rare, only 3,000 bottles, which is hard to find. Although the output is small, the fame is not small, and it has blown a "Xiaoling" wind in the industry.
Xiaoling Dry Red is one of the two wines of the winery, and JS's comment to the 2018 vintage is: "This wine exudes a delicate aroma of sandalwood and spices, accompanied by cherry stems, plums and very rich white pepper aromas, the taste is creamy and smooth and round, it is an elegant, delicate tannin, with a sense of line, and a lively acidity and sour cherry flavor, showing its cool, bright side." Medium-bodied, fruity and, although made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it still has a pinot Noir feel. It is now ready to drink, and it will be better after 2022. ”
2nd place: 2017 Ao Yun dry red 97 points
Ao Yun is the first worship wine in China, "Ao Yun" means to travel above the clouds, meaning the auspicious clouds floating in the magical land of Shangri-La, and is an expectation of the legendary birthplace of Shangri-La and a celebration of a beautiful and happy utopia. The winery was opened by the LVMH Group in a vineyard at the foot of the Himalayas adjacent to Shangri-La, and in 2013 produced its first vintage of Ao Yun Dry Red, producing only 3,000 cases and costing up to €300 per bottle.
Ao Yun Dry Red in 2017 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, petit verdot and Merlot, which JS describes: "This wine is very rich and mature in aroma, with a large number of blackcurrant and blueberry aromas, as well as spices, dried peppers, sweet potatoes and pine wood, a very romantic wine." The wine is full-bodied, rounded and supple on the palate, ripe with tannins and fruity. The whole is very fresh and smart. Super long aftertaste! It's wonderful to drink now, but it's better to age for a while, so it's recommended to taste it after 2025. ”
1st place: 2019 Canaanite Cube Dry Red 95 points
The crown of the JS China Wine 100 List finally fell on the land of CanaanIte, did you guess it? Located in Xixia District, Yinchuan City, Ningxia, Canaan Meidi Winery was founded in 2011 by Ms. Wang Fang, daughter of Mr. Wang Fengyu, an expert in agriculture and forestry soil and co-founder of Helan Qingxue Winery. The 2019 Canaanite Cube Dry Red came out on top, which can be described as the best example of blue out of blue
"Canaanite Land" means "a place of hope and fruit" for Chinese wine. The origin of the name pins on Wang Fang's firm confidence and good wishes to "let Chinese wine go to the world". The name of the winery is inspired by the "Land of Canaanite," which in the Bible refers to a land of milk and honey, a promised land of good fortune. Rubik's Cube Dry Red is the winery's flagship wine, with an annual production of only 4,000 bottles.
For the 2019 Rubik's Cube Dry Red, JS gave 95 points of praise and praise: "This wine is so deep, complex and fresh! The aroma is enticing, with sweet notes of red pepper and sweet spices adding layering to the aromas of ripe blueberries, humidors, gravel and bitumen. It's a very concentrated, full-bodied wine with a continuous flow of fine tannins that make it effortless to drink. The aftertaste is so concentrated, rich and long! Now ready to drink, it is recommended to wait a moment after opening the bottle to allow the aroma to unfold further. ”
2021 JS China Top 100 Complete List
Like the friends who are patient to see here ~ The following is the complete list of JS China Wine Top 100 in 2021: