For local wines, these are the best of the bunch

Even though China ranks among the world's top 10 producers and has more than 300 wineries, to be fair, much wine sold under local labels is sub-par and some isn't strictly "Chinese", since it contains imported bulk wine.

But a number of smaller outfits are producing drinkable wine. The challenge is getting your hands on their bottles.

Consider two wineries on Beijing's outskirts: Chateau Bolongbao's Bordeaux-style wines are easier to find in Paris than in Beijing, while Sino-French Demonstration Vineyard, which makes an intriguing Petit Manseng, distributes to a single hotel. Meanwhile, other wineries sell primarily in their home province.

This can be frustrating for consumers in China and hopefully the situation improves. In the meantime, here are some easier-to-find producers:

Grace Vineyard (Shanxi): Grace generally gets good reviews and is appearing on menus at five-star hotels and high-end restaurants. The entry-level Chardonnay, with its apple scents and creamy body, offers the best value, and the Cabernet Sauvignon and Rose deserve a try (60 yuan). Grace's strength is consistency, so consider better ranges, such as Premium Cabernet-Merlot (90 yuan) and Tasya's Reserve Cabernet Franc (198 yuan), or even Chairman's Reserve (388 yuan), cited by some as China's best wine.

Catai (Shandong): Less consistent than Grace, Catai offers drinkable wines with decent aromas and passable bodies. The Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (44 yuan) are okay, but they sometimes quickly decline after opening, so they're best drunk quickly. Again, higher-end versions, such as the "superior" Cabernet Sauvignon, tend to be better.

Yunnan Red Wine Company (Yunnan): It's commonly believed that the vines here were first brought by European missionaries in the 19th century. The hybrid grapes Rose Honey, French Wild and Crystal Dry make for unique wines - the last is highly aromatic, has tropical fruit flavors and is your best bet (from 50 yuan). There is room for improvement here and these grape varieties may help China reach the world stage, much as Zinfindel, Shiraz and Malbec did for California, Australia and Argentina respectively.

Other wines to consider: Merlot and "Huailai Reserve", Cabernet Sauvignon from Hebei's Dragon Seal (90-230 yuan), Malbec and Rose from Beijing's Taillan (60 yuan), and red wines from Xinjiang's Les Champs D'Or and Suntime Manas.

Finally, before you pop the corks, a few things to remember. Except for entry-level Grace and a few others, Chinese wines are not great value for money. They also seem to age quickly, so recent vintages are typically the way to go. And don't expect these wines to blow your taste buds away. Keep these things in mind and you might make a few pleasant discoveries as you explore Chinese wines.