Ningxia China: Chateau Changyu Moser XV Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Cedary, blackcurrent and red berry aromas, lush rich ripe fruits, soft luscious mouthfell, smooth tannins - this is the "second" wine of Chateau Changyu Moser, one of the new premium wines made by Austrian Lenz Moser and the best I have ever tasted yet from China.
Thirty-year-old Emma Yu, above, is the youngest member of the four-strong winemaking team at Château Changyu Moser XV; she is also the only woman. [We have tasting notes on most of the wines discussed here, but particularly and most recently for Changyu Moser – JR]
Her appointment as assistant winemaker was championed by renowned Austrian chief winemaker Lenz M Moser, whose remark ‘it took me a year to persuade Changyu to take a woman instead of a man’ speaks volumes.
A fluent English speaker, Yu graduated from Shaanxi's Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University and came to Europe in 2012 to join the EuroMaster Vinifera programme, studying in France (Montpellier SupAgro and Bordeaux Sciences Agro) and in Germany at Geisenheim University.
On her return to China in 2015 she was hired by Ningxia's Yunkou estate where she helped make and market their annual output of 30,000 bottles before joining Moser at Changyu.
We chatted about men and women, and differences in the workplace. According to Yu, the former are typically assigned to heavier physical labour, but she pointed out that there are three female cellar hands at Changyu.
‘Sometimes it can be difficult for a female winemaker at the start. When you're a young woman the recruiters are more hesitant, but it's the same in other industries. The biggest problem around hiring young women is that in China, we get at least 150 days off if we give birth', she observed astutely.
However, there is good news: Ningxia's status as a booming wine region is in Yu's favour. ‘It's quite a new region and the success of other female winemakers here means that it wasn't that difficult for me to find my first job', she observed, adding that women who become successful on the technical side of the industry attract particular attention.
She talked with enthusiasm about the support she gets from other younger females working at Helan Mountain estates with whom she discusses technical questions, vintage characteristics, new products and marketing.
According to Yu, women in wine are perceived in the same way, be it in Europe or China. ‘Sometimes people are surprised when I introduce myself as a winemaker. They always say “but you're so young! A woman making wine!” But then I tell them my background and they show more respect.’
Does gender make any difference to winemaking? ‘For the technical part, I would say no. I've met excellent winemakers, men and women. Being a good winemaker has no relation to gender. Some people believe that women make delicate wines, but I've met females making really big wines.’
She ended our interview with another astute observation.
WEIN China investiert Milliarden in den Aufbau einer eigenen Industrie. Eine Szene von Winzern ist entstanden, deren Produkte sogar den französischen Konkurrenten gefährlich werden. Die ersten Flaschen kommen jetzt in Deutschland auf den Markt.
Chateau Changyu Moser XV is innovating to make the most of its grapes, whose special properties come from their unique terroir in arid Ningxia, Li Yingxue reports.
@lenz_m_moser met with @louisehurren in Ningxia last week to talk about life, business and his latest project - a super-premium Chinese wine to be launched next spring. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
'It’s very harmonious, more fruit-driven than anything else. I tried to bring out the bright fruit of Ningxia Cabernet, in a very subtle form, lighter in alcohol. It’ll be the 2016 vintage. I’ve worked very hard on it, reduced the wood treatment to bring out the typicity of the region.' #chinesewine #ambition
Wein aus China war etwas für Chinesen oder Menschen, die das Exotische lieben. Nun will er den Weltmarkt erobern, und zwar mit Qualität. Dear Österreicher LENY MOSER arbeitet daran.
Chinesischer Wein ist in Europa noch echte Mangelware. Selbst in bestsortierten Fachgeschäften wie auch im Online-Handel sind Flaschen aus dem Reich der Mitte kaum zu bekommen. Nun fi nden die ersten Weine von Projekten, in denen Europäer federführend sind, auch den Weg zu uns. Die folgenden Tropfen stellen eine Bereicherung jeder Weinkarte dar.
Mit rasender Geschwindigkeit hält die Weinkultur Einzug China. Am Anfang standen importe teurer Prestigeweine, heute verfügt China bereits über die zweitgrößte Rebfläche der Welt. Und es werden erste Weine von internationalem Format gekeltert.
Delighted to feature in this article by @christine_winein @theipaperon the increase in quality wines from lesser known and exciting new wine regions featuring our white cabernet made by Austrian winemaker Lenz Moser at our Chateau in Ningxia China.
We’ve had White Zinfandel and now White Cabernet is poised for its moment in the sun as hip London restaurants like Sexy Fish and Brasserie of Light get behind the wine.
Lenz Moser V is a fifth generation member of the Lenz Moser Austrian winemaking dynasty. Having sold his shares in his family wine company four years ago, Moser swapped Europe for Asia and is currently chief winemaker at Château Changyu-Moser XV in northern China’s Ningxia region. Passionate about putting Chinese wine on the world wine map, Moser is in the process of converting the 250-hectare Château Changyu Moser XV to biodynamic viticulture and hopes to be certified in three years. He is also working on an ‘icon’ wine that aims to take on the best in China.
Bisher waren Eigengewächse aus dem Reich der Mitte nicht der Hit, dieses Jahr kann man wieder Empfehlungen geben, sogar für Normalverbraucher, die keine 80 Euro für einen chinesischen Cabernet Sauvignon ausgeben wollen.
Große Weine werden nicht umsonst mit großen Auszeichnungen gekrönt. So erhielt der Cabernet Sauvignon Château Changyu Moser XV aus dem Jahrgang 2015 die höchste Auszeichnung des Wettbewerbs, Großes Gold, und wurde somit zum besten Wein Chinas gekürt. Sechs weitere Weine des Weinguts erhielten Goldmedaillen.
Now turning to northwest China's Ningxia to see how an Austrian winemaker pursues his dream in China. STANDUP (English): NATAJIA MILLER, CNC Correspondent: "You may think about Europe or the Napa Valley when you think about wine, but Ningxia also has some of the most high quality wine you'll ever taste. And to tell us more about how high quality it really is we'll bring on the wine chief himself, Mr Lenz Moser. Pleasure to meet you, sir." SOUNDBITE (English): NATAJIA MILLER, CNC Correspondent: "So fifteen generations of wine, is that right?" SOUNDBITE (English): LENZ MOSER, Chief Winemaker, Chateau Changyu Moser XV "Yes."
1. What is your favourite restaurant in London? I have three favourites; Dinner – at the Mandarin Oriental – Stefan (Neumann MS) and his team are just amazing, ditto the food; China Tang, Igor must be one of the best hosts of any restaurant I know – you come in and he makes you feel immediately at home; and Sexy Fish, such a cool vibe and a great team. I am eternally grateful to them for having helped us make our white Cabernet such a big success – one of their top selling wines by the glass. ‘
China ist der zurzeit am schnellsten wachsende Weinmarkt der Welt, und das Zentrum dieser Entwicklung ist die Sonderverwaltungszone Hongkong. Vorbild für die neuen Weine sind die Klassiker aus den traditionsreichen Weinregionen Europas.
2017 Château Changyu Moser XV, Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc de Noir, Ningxia, China £15.95, Slurp.co.uk; £18.99, selfridges.com
This week I have a wine story that sounds so outlandish and improbable that it simply could not be true. But it is. I met with Lenz Moser last week, one of Austria’s most renowned winemakers, in order to taste his brand new Chinese releases. As a precursor to his range he opened a 1996 Lenz Moser cabernet, which he made in his homeland in one of the worst red-wine vintages in living memory. This 23-year-old pale rosé-hued wine was lively, impressive, elderflower and blackberry leaf-scented and thoroughly beguiling.
ASI is very proud to announce a new, two-year partnership with Ningxia’s Helan Mountain Eastern Slope wine region in China, one of China’s fastest growing and best-established high quality wine producing regions, which will be host to the 2020 ASI Annual Meeting.
Aux portes du désert de Gobi, des pionniersont transformé sable et cailloux en vignobles prospères.Au point que, en vingt ans, le Ningxia est devenu uneldorado viticole. S’ils sont partis de rien, les propriétairesde ces nouveaux domaines savent s’entourer des meilleursprofessionnels. Résultat!: leurs grands vins rouges ont déjàremporté des concours internationaux, avant de conquérir lesmeilleures tables. Un succès qui ne doit rien au hasard.
Fast 7200 Weine aus aller Welt stehenauf der Verkostungsliste des internationalenWeinwettbewerbs„Mundus Vini“, der noch bis Sonntagim Saalbau läuft. „Wir sehenschon jetzt, dass der 2018er dort,wogut gearbeitet wurde, tolle Qualitätenzu bieten hat“, zieht VerkostungsleiterChristian Wolf eine zufriedene Zwischenbilanz.
There's growing interest in Chinese wines. Get up to speed now, says Sam Wylie-Harris.
It’s Chinese New Year – the beginning of the Year of the Pig – a time for eating, drinking, fireworks and celebrating. But while China is famed for its cuisine, what about its wine?
Das chinesische Neujahr steht vor der Tür, deswegen hier ausnahmsweise ein Wein, der nicht durch sein tolles Preis-Leistungsverhältnis auffällt, sondern durch seine Herkunft. In China steigen sowohl der Weinkonsum als auch der -anbau rasant an. Mit der Handschrift von Lenz M. Moser V entstehen in Ningxia, Chinas jüngster Weinregion, Weine internationalen Stils.
Huge congratulations to @jzwinepeek on her brilliant new book on Chinese Wine - ‘The Chinese Wine Renaissance’ - which launched in London yesterday. More than 5 years in the making and thoroughly researched wIth fascinating insight into the history and cultural aspects of Chinese wine production and general wine culture and consumption in China
