Here is a one page summary of the: climate, topography, growing hazards, wine law, grape varieties, wine growing and making practices in China.

China has the third largest vineyard area in the world all be it that much of that is for table grapes. Even so it is a significant wine producer.

The map shows the main provinces where wine is grown there are some regions for example in Xinjiang province which are protected with Geographical Indications but these are not shown here and at the time of writing beyond the scope of the Diploma.

To date (May 25) wines from China have not featured as a country or in the mixed bag in the D3 tasting exam. As the most produced wines are international varieties made in an international style a Cabernet Sauvignon or Carménère would be hard to pick out as Chinese in origin in a mixed bag.  Also very little of the wine produced is exported but in the future perhaps Marselan and Petit Manseng, both gaining favour for their disease resistance, might become signature varietals?

Sources include: WSET Diploma Wines of the World, Oxford Wine Companion by Julia Harding and Jancis Robinson, and Google aerial photographs.

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