Set in the northeast of Shandong province, Yantai has been making wines for more than 110 years and is viewed as the traditional birthplace of China's wine industry.

In 1987 the International Office of Vine and Wine (OIV) recognized Yantai as an International Grape and Wine City, making it the only Asian metropolis to have been accorded this honor.

With almost the same latitude as Bordeaux of France and favorable climate conditions, Yantai is considered one of the world's top seven coastal grape planting areas and one of China's top three vineyard centers.

It is now home to over 20 world-famous international wine businesses and a large number of domestic winemakers, including leading Chinese brands Changyu, Great Wall and Dynasty.

The area has an annual wine output value of 250,000 tons, accounting for half of the nation's total.

Last year, the city reaped a total of 14.4 billion yuan in the sector.

Yantai-based Changyu, the largest winemaker in China, now boasts vineyards in six high-quality producing areas including Beijing, Ningxia and Xinjiang. It accounts for a quarter of the nation's total vineyards.

Already with some 5,300 agencies in China, Changyu has set up marketing networks in 28 countries and regions, including the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia.

In 1915, Changyu wine won four gold medals at the Panama-Pacific International Expo. At a Shanghai World Expo welcome dinner, Chinese President Hu Jintao treated distinguished guests from 33 countries with two styles of Changyu wine.

Alluring culture tourism

With a vast expanse of coastal vineyards and scores of picturesque chateaux, Yantai has become a hot tourist destination.

According to local statistics, this year's international wine festival drew more than 100,000 visitors to the area. There, they studied the city's winemaking industry, helped pick grapes and sampled a variety of vintages.

"Yantai's wine tourism is fast becoming the favorite pastime of overseas visitors. The Changyu Wine Culture Museum plays host to more than 3 million visitors from home and abroad annually," said Hong Yuyan, general manager of the Changyu International Wine City.

In the corridors of European style chateaux, guests can sample fine wines while enjoying views of the city.

By Wang Qian (China Daily Shandong Bureau)

(China Daily 09/27/2010 page24)