Sixteen wineries in China – from Beijing, Hebei, Xinjiang and Ningxia – are close to receiving the “estate wine” quality trademark. This is part of the government’s efforts to establish official quality standards.

A professional trade committee, organised by China Alcoholic Drinks Association (CADA), conducted a series of audits and tasting assessments.

As reported by the wine magazine Decanter online, these producers are currently at the final stage of the process and are highly likely to be approved to carry the designated “estate wine” trademark in July, according to CADA.

The move marks China’s first steps towards an official regulation system for quality wine production.

To qualify for the “estate wine” trademark, producers need to have full control over their vineyards, and produce and bottle their wines on site.

The yield limit for these estate wines is at 1000kg of grapes per mu (approximately 94-115 hectolitres per hectare depending on white or red wines), according to CADA.

As for geographical indication (GI) marks, China has so far issued several to domestic wine producing regions, including Helan Mountain, in the east of Ningxia.

Unlike EU appellation laws, the Chinese GI regulations “had little actual effect in the market because it is far less forceful than the trademark law,” said Chinese wine authority Professor Li Demei in a previous DecanterChina.com column.

By encouraging quality producers to apply for the estate wine trademark, which is owned and endorsed by CADA, the association aims to “protect the reputation of Chinese estate wine producers in domestic and overseas market”, said officials.

Source: NewEurope Date: 2017-06-03