In 2010, the United Nations (UN) established “Language Days”. Chinese Language Day is celebrated annually on April 20th.
The date was chosen from the sixth solar term Guyu, one of the 24 solar terms in traditional calendars in the eastern region of Asia, as a way to honor Cangjie, historian of Emperor Huang-Ti (also known as the Yellow Emperor) and inventor of Chinese characters.
To commemorate Chinese Language Day, there’s nothing like toasting with world-renowned premium Chinese wines from the historic Changyu wine estate, with the signature of Lenz Moser.
Changyu is located west of Beijing, in the province of Ningxia, in what is the most famous wine region in China and has its roots in the Changyu Company, founded in 1892 when Chinese diplomat Zhang Bishi imported over 500,000 vines from the US and Europe, paving the way for Chinese wine production.
Together with 15th generation Austrian winemaker Lenz Moser, Chateau Changyu Moser XV was born: a labor of love. The warm continental climate, on the edge of a desert and shielded to the west by mountains, is dry. The vines absorb all 3000 hours of sunlight and irrigation is vital to keep them alive. And while hot and sunny in the summer, Ningxia can regularly drop to -25°C in the winter, which means specialized vineyard care is needed to avoid the danger of this extreme terroir.
Lenz’s focus on management, winemaking, and aging has elevated the quality of these wines to the next level. All stages of Changyu Moser wine production take place at the Chateau, from pressing and fermentation to maturation. The site even has its own museum, showcasing the history of Chinese winemaking.
The grape berries are small to protect themselves from water evaporation in the desert climate, and they have a fantastic skin-to-juice ratio, resulting in a unique concentration of fruit flavors. Ningxia wines are great wines, elegant and refined, with aging potential.
Although it has a predominantly Bordeaux style, Ningxia is developing its own unique sense of terroir. For Lenz, this terroir emerges as “a unique kind of Chinese spice” that is found nowhere else.
Experience them here and give your verdict.
