China is not a traditional wine country, yet over the past two decades its wine industry has expanded rapidly in both scale and sophistication. As vineyard practices have evolved and regional identities have become clearer, understanding the grape varieties planted across China is essential to understanding the country’s wines today.
This overview combines historical planting context with current qualitative relevance, highlighting both widely planted grapes and those that now define modern Chinese wine styles.
A Data-Driven Overview
According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), China experienced one of the fastest vineyard expansions in the world between 2000 and 2015, reaching more than 800,000 hectares of grape-growing land. A significant share of this surface area is dedicated to table grapes, while wine grapes represent a smaller but increasingly quality-focused segment.
Red grape varieties dominate Chinese vineyards, accounting for roughly four-fifths of wine grape plantings. White varieties make up most of the remainder, with a small presence of teinturier and hybrid grapes.
While early vineyard development prioritized internationally recognized varieties, recent years have seen a clear shift toward grapes better adapted to local climates and stylistic goals.
Discovering China’s Major Red Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon remains the most widely planted wine grape variety in China and played a foundational role in the country’s early wine industry. First introduced in the late nineteenth century, it spread across regions such as Shandong, Hebei, Ningxia, Shanxi, and Yunnan.
Chinese Cabernet Sauvignon typically produces deeply colored wines with black fruit aromas, firm tannins, and marked acidity. Today, it is increasingly used as a structural component in blends or as a single-varietal wine from carefully selected sites, rather than as a default expression.
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Marselan
Over the past decade, Marselan has emerged as one of the most important modern red grape varieties in China, particularly in premium regions such as Ningxia. Originally bred in France as a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, Marselan has proven especially well suited to China’s continental climates.
It combines deep color, ripe fruit expression, moderate tannins, and balanced acidity, resulting in wines that are both structured and approachable. Marselan wines from China often show notes of black cherry, blackberry, plum, floral elements, and gentle spice. Increasingly bottled as a single varietal, Marselan is widely regarded as one of the clearest expressions of contemporary Chinese red wine.
Marselan
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Merlot
Merlot is one of the most widely cultivated international red varieties in China. It produces wines with softer tannins and rounder textures than Cabernet Sauvignon, often showing red and black-fruit aromas and, in warmer sites, higher alcohol levels.
Merlot is frequently blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc to enhance balance and drinkability, and it remains a popular choice for consumers who prefer supple, fruit-forward reds.
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Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is primarily grown in northern and western China. Compared with Cabernet Sauvignon, it produces lighter-bodied wines with finer tannins, fresher acidity, and more pronounced aromatic expression.
In China, Cabernet Franc is used both in blends and as a single-varietal wine, contributing herbal, floral, and red fruit notes. It is also valued in cooler regions for its ability to ripen reliably while maintaining freshness.
Cabernet Franc
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Cabernet Gernischt
Cabernet Gernischt occupies an important place in Chinese wine history. Once believed to be a distinct Chinese grape, modern DNA analysis has confirmed that Cabernet Gernischt is genetically identical to Carménère, originally from Bordeaux.
Despite this clarification, Cabernet Gernischt has developed a strong local identity, particularly in Shandong (Yantai), where it thrives in the coastal climate. Wines often display blackcurrant, herbal, peppery, and earthy aromas, sometimes with floral or mushroom nuances. It is used in both blends and varietal wines, contributing aromatic complexity and mid-palate softness.
Cabernet Gernischt
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Vitis Amurensis (Amur Grape)
Vitis Amurensis is native to northeastern China and is primarily grown in Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces. This cold-resistant variety plays a key role in regions with harsh winters.
Wines made from Vitis Amurensis are generally light in body with balanced acidity, moderate alcohol, and fresh fruit aromas. While less prominent in premium wine production, it remains important for regional styles and climate adaptation in northeastern China.
Vitis Amurensis
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Discovering China’s Major White Grape Varieties
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the most widely planted white wine grape in China and forms the backbone of the country’s dry white wine production. High-quality examples from Ningxia and the Jiaodong Peninsula have gained international recognition.
Chinese Chardonnay typically shows citrus, stone fruit, and floral aromas, with texture ranging from crisp and mineral to richer, oak-influenced styles depending on the region and winemaking approach.
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Italian Riesling (Welschriesling)
Despite its name, Italian Riesling is unrelated to German Riesling and is known internationally as Welschriesling. Introduced to China in the early 1980s, it is used to produce dry and semi-dry white wines with light color, fresh fruit aromas, moderate acidity, and a gentle texture. It is also used in sparkling wine production.
Italian Riesling (Welschriesling)
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Longyan (Dragon Eye)
Longyan is one of China’s oldest cultivated grape varieties, with historical roots dating back to the Qing Dynasty. It is grown notably in Hebei’s Huaizhuo Basin and used to produce aromatic white wines with floral and fruity notes.
Dry Longyan wines are often compared stylistically to Gewurztraminer, offering a smooth texture and expressive aromatics.
Longyan (Dragon Eye)
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Vidal Blanc
Vidal Blanc is closely associated with icewine production in northeastern China, particularly in Liaoning province. Wines made from Vidal Blanc show tropical fruit and honey aromas with a refreshing balance of sweetness and acidity.
A Changing Vineyard Landscape
While Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay remain central to China’s vineyards, the rise of varieties such as Marselan reflects a broader evolution in Chinese wine. Today’s planting decisions increasingly prioritize climate suitability, stylistic clarity, and regional identity over sheer volume.
As a result, China’s most relevant grape varieties are no longer defined only by hectares planted, but by their ability to express place and quality in a rapidly maturing wine culture.
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