By Wang Mingjie in Bordeaux, France |
chinadaily.com.cn |
1The historic entrance to Changyu's original winery site in Yantai, Shandong province, has stood for more than a century. [Photo provided to China Daily]
For many European consumers, China is rarely associated with wine in the same way as France, Italy or Spain. Yet over the past decade, Chinese wine producers have been making increasing efforts to gain recognition in international markets.
Among them is Changyu, founded in 1892 in Yantai, Shandong province, and widely regarded as a pioneer of China's modern wine industry. Established during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) by overseas Chinese businessman Zhang Bishi, the company introduced European grape varieties and winemaking techniques to China at a time when modern industrial wine production in the country was still at an early stage.
