【导读】这是去年底Liz教授访问宁夏后回到美国所写的两篇关于中国葡萄酒的文章，一篇于今年一月底刊登在美国最大的葡萄酒网站WineSpectator，另一篇于一周前刊载于英国《新女性》杂志上。两篇文章写出了一位女性葡萄酒大师对于中国葡萄酒及国产葡萄酒的一些见闻和所得，文中部分数据和内容可能有些出入，钟翔会在其中用【】进行修正。水平有限，如翻译有误，请各位读者自行查看英文原文，我会在译文下附上原文。

文/Liz Thach 

中国葡萄酒产区建立类似波尔多的列级制度

宁夏希望通过酒庄列级来鼓励酒质的提升以及获取更多的关注

2014年1月30日刊载于美国Wine Spectator

    随着中国试图建立自己的葡萄酒产业和应对那些不可避免的生长之痛，一个产区采取了保证品质的措施。宁夏，这个已经靠基于赤霞珠的混酿葡萄酒声名鹊起的产区，近来颁布了一套列级酒庄体系。以波尔多1855列级为模板，却又更新了规则，要求每两年更新一次排名，共分5级。组织者希望这套体系能被公众认可并且鼓励宁夏酒庄持续酿造高品质的葡萄酒，同时也能帮助消费者作出明智的选择。

    宁夏位于中国中部，离北京也就2个小时航程，这里目前拥有100家酒庄。【正式运营的有40来家，在注册的有上百家】2013年，一组包含了种植专家和学者的国际葡萄酒专家团指导了第一波列级的工作，对各个参与酒庄的葡萄酒质量、葡萄园水准以及旅游接待能力进行了考察，其中还包括餐饮和住宿。评委们最终选择了10家酒庄成为第五级。到2015年，所有的参与者会被重新评估，有些或许会升到第四级；到2017年，某些会升到第3级，以此类推。目标就是在8年内所有的5个等级都有酒庄列级。如果不能维持高水准，酒庄就有可能降级甚至被取消列级资格。

    作为考察对象，酒庄至少要拥有13英亩的葡萄园，每年至少要出产4166箱葡萄酒。另外，酒庄必须遵守宁夏产区的酿酒法规，这意味着酒庄瓶子上所列的75%的葡萄必须来自宁夏产区，85%必须是同一品种并且来自同一年份。

    2013年位列5级酒庄的10家酒庄分别是：西夏王，源石、贺兰晴雪、巴格斯、原歌、张裕摩赛尔十五世、兰一、禹皇、类人首和铖铖。

    根据中国葡萄酒的专家的分析，这种质量保证体系很有影响。“启动列级体系能够促进并且保护宁夏葡萄酒的声誉，它就像防火墙一般阻隔着低质酒厂的食品安全风险，”中国农大教授马会勤这样说道。

    中国的消费者变得对食品安全越来越关心。列级体系的产生能够有助于解决另一个问题，那就是假酒。当在中国的波尔多假酒已经引起足够多的关注时，国产假酒也一样是个问题。

    宁夏展示了他们的承诺，就像葡萄酒产区一样，有着年轻的现代葡萄酒酿造文化，它也面临着很多挑战。至今，缺乏高质量的葡萄园依然是最大的问题。宁夏政府已经从意大利、法国、美国和以色列请来了很多种植专家来提供建议。

    宁夏葡萄酒因为波尔多葡萄品种而闻名，主要是赤霞珠、美乐、品丽珠和一种叫做蛇龙珠的本土品种。但是也有一些酒庄出产雷司令和霞多丽。“因为我们是个新产区”，宁夏葡萄与花卉产业发展局局长曹凯龙说道，“我们仍然在试验并寻找最合适我们气候的葡萄品种。”截至2013年底，宁夏政府官方报道已经种植了58000英亩葡萄园，还有更多在建设中。第一片葡萄园是在1982年建立起来的。

    宁夏官方计划在接下来的10年内把产区内酒庄扩展到1000家，并且已经为当地旅游建立了葡萄酒地图。【如果没记错的话，应该是十年内100家精品酒庄】政府计划在未来的几年内把工作重心放在国内旅游上，然后到2017年开始吸引国际游客。

原文：

Chinese Wine Region Establishes Classification Modeled on Bordeaux's

Ningxia hopes to encourage quality and grab attention by creating a ranking of estates

As China tries to build a domestic wine industry and grapples with the inevitable growing pains, one region is adopting measures in an attempt to guarantee quality. Ningxia, which has grabbed some attention as a promising spot for Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends, recently introduced a winery classification system. Modeled on the Bordeaux 1855 Classification, but with updated rules and a required renewal every two years, it ranks wineries in five levels. The organizers hope the system will recognize and encourage Ningxia wineries that consistently produce high-quality wine and assist consumers in making an informed selection.

Located in central China, about a two-hour flight from Beijing, Ningxia currently has more than 100 wineries. In 2013, a group of international wine experts including viticulture specialists and educators conducted the first wave of the classification, judging participating wineries by quality of wine, quality of vineyards and quality of tourist activities at the winery, including restaurants and lodging. The judges selected 10 wineries as fifth-growths. In 2015, participants will be evaluated again and some may be promoted to fourth-growth; in 2017 some may be able to earn the rank of third-growth, etc. The goal is that in eight years there could be wineries classified in all five levels. If quality doesn’t remain high, wineries will be bumped back a level or dropped from the classification.

In order to be considered, wineries must make at least 4,166 cases and farm at least 13 acres of vineyards. In addition, they must adhere to Ningxia winemaking regulations, which state that at least 75 percent of grapes must come from the region and 85 percent must be of the same variety and from the same vintage listed on the bottle.

The 10 wineries that earned fifth-growth status in the 2013 classification were: Xixia King, Chateaux Yuanshi, Helan Qingxue, Bacchus, Yuange, Changyu Moser XV, Lanyi, Yuhuang, Leirenshou and Chengcheng.

According to experts following Chinese wine, this type of quality-assurance system could have an impact. “Launching a classification system can promote and protect the reputation of Ningxia wines and works somewhat like a firewall against possible food-safety risks from lower-quality wineries," said Dr. Qin Ma, a professor from the China Agricultural University.

Chinese consumers are growing increasingly concerned about the safety of their food. And another problem the classification hopes to counter is fakes. While fake Bordeauxs in Chinese stores have grabbed attention, fake Chinese wine is also a problem.

Ningxia has shown promise but, like most wine regions in this relatively young modern winemaking culture, it faces several challenges. A lack of quality vineyards until recently may be the biggest. The Ningxia government has brought in viticulture experts from Italy, France, the U.S. and Israel to provide advice.

Ningxia has made its name on Bordeaux varieties, and focuses primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and the local Gernischt grape (also called Chinese Cabernet or Cabernet G). But some wineries are also producing Rieslings and Chardonnays. “Since we are a new wine region,” said Cao Kailong, director of the bureau of grape and floriculture development, “we are still experimenting to determine the best grapes for our climate.” As of December 2013, Ningxia government officials reported that they have planted roughly 58,000 acres of vines, with more in the works. The first vineyards were planted in 1982.

Ningxia officials have plans to expand the region's industry to more than 1,000 wineries in the next decade, and have already created a wine map for local tourists. The government plans to focus on domestic tourism for the next few years and then court international visitors by mid-2017.

东方的承诺

    中国人已经在自己的土地上酿造葡萄酒超过4000年了，并且他们开始频频获奖了。那么在不久之后我们是否会在自己的超市货架上看到来自中国的葡萄酒呢？

    2014年3月14日刊载于英国New Magazine for Women

    浅酌中国葡萄酒

    提到中国也许你不会立即想到葡萄酒，但这也许会改变。中国葡萄酒的酿造史可以追溯到公元前2600年。在马可波罗访问新疆的时候，葡萄种植依然很流行，之后在1892年烟台建立了第一个商业酒庄，至今仍在运营的张裕，中国最大的葡萄酒公司之一。

    但仅仅最近30年，中国政府开始积极地鼓励葡萄园及酒庄的发展。预言这样被实现：随着中国葡萄酒消费人群迅速的增长，2012年中国成为世界第五大葡萄酒消费国。

    今天，大多中国葡萄酒只在本土销售，但是随着开始有葡萄酒获得国际大赛的金奖，这种情况也可能被改变。那么，它尝起来究竟怎么样？受法国和德国最出名的葡萄酒所启发，中国种植最多的有四个品种：赤霞珠、美乐、霞多丽和雷司令。这也有两种本土品种：蛇龙珠（尝起来像品丽珠）和龙眼，后者带给白葡萄酒一种甜甜的花香。当地的酿酒师也经常实验其他的品种，来确定不同区域的最佳品种。有趣的是，在北方他们酿造一些很棒的冰酒，用的是白威黛儿、雷司令和一些本土品种。

    大部分葡萄酒属于轻盈的类型，12到13的酒精度，带着新世界的果味儿和适中的橡木香。当然，也有一些更贵的红葡萄酒试图去模仿波尔多重重的橡木味儿、复杂的泥土和植物气息。从辛辣尖酸、过度氧化、苦涩难堪的到精致的、完美平衡的大奖获得者，葡萄酒质量不一而论。正是因为中国的大部分酒庄都是新的，他们并不着急出口，直到他们觉得品质够了。也有例外，尽管像长城 – 世界第二大葡萄酒品牌 – 他们把葡萄酒出口到全世界的中国城。

    尽管大多数美食美酒专家会告诉你辛辣的中国食物最好和白葡萄酒搭配，但是在中国消费的葡萄酒90%是红的。一些中国人说这是因为他们更喜欢辛辣食物和红葡萄酒结合后的浓郁感。还有一些人指出这是因为红色代表着财富，而白色意味着死亡，还有红葡萄酒通常是室温饮用，白葡萄酒则很冷，而喝冷饮被认为是不健康的。红葡萄酒通常也更贵，因此也能匹配部分中国人高大上的需求，当然最后一点，很多中国人用干杯的方式喝酒，所以谁真的在乎它尝起来怎么样！

    与此同时，在大城市，复杂的葡萄酒文化正在逐渐形成。年轻的葡萄酒专业人士拥挤在葡萄酒吧，很多人喝葡萄酒搭配着食物。葡萄酒教育正在井喷，本土侍酒师的数量正在急剧增长。也许对于中国葡萄酒也是一样，在教育之前，要不了多久就会开始增长。

    中国制造

    你可能不会在你的超市看到这些酒。但是下面这些酒你可以留心寻找：

    怡园酒庄霞多丽或白诗南，轻盈、优雅、充满果味的葡萄酒。

    银色高地赤霞珠，庞大、复杂而优雅，带着黑加仑和雪松的味道。

    贺兰晴雪酒庄赤霞珠或雷司令，专为大片牛排设计的磅礴赤霞珠。雷司令柔和、优雅、果味儿十足，带着花香和些许微甜。【贺兰晴雪应该没有出产雷司令，可能是笔误】

    西夏王霞多丽，经典霞多丽，带着苹果、柠檬和矿物感。

    立兰酒庄希拉和黑皮诺，天鹅绒般柔软地慢慢流出，带着混合浆果和牛奶巧克力的味道。浓郁的黑皮诺，华丽的覆盆子味儿和松露气息。【我们酒庄没有出产希拉，当时给大师尝的是2012年份赤霞珠和黑皮诺，所以这里的希拉应该是赤霞珠】

    巴格斯酒庄威黛儿冰酒，熟透的甜蜜，带着干杏和金银花的香气。

    【作者简介】

    Liz Thach，博士，葡萄酒大师，美国索诺玛大学葡萄酒教授和作家，在访问中国期间品尝了超过80款中国葡萄酒。详情请访问：winetravelstories.blogspot.co.uk

原文：

Eastern promise

The Chinese have been producing home-grown wine for more than 4,000 years and now it’s winning awards. So will we see it on our supermarket shelves any day soon?

DR LIZ THACH

TAKES A SIP OF CHINESE WINE

Think of China and you may not immediately think of wine, but all that may be about to change. Chinese wine production has a history stretching back to 2,600 BC. Cultivation was still going strong when Marco Polo visited Xinjiang Province, and the first commercial winery, established in Yantai in 1892, is still operated today by Changyu, one of China’s largest wine corporations.

But it is only in the last 30 years that the Chinese government has actively encouraged the development of vineyards and wineries. This was a prescient move: the popularity of wine has risen so much that in 2012 China became the fifth-largest wine- consuming nation in the world.

Today, most Chinese wine is only sold domestically, but with wines beginning to win gold medals at international shows that could also change. So, what does it taste like? Inspired by the famous wines of France and Germany, China has planted the majority of its vineyards to four varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling. It also has two local grapes: Cabernet Gernischt (with a similar taste to Cabernet Franc) and Dragon’s Eye, which creates a white wine with a sweet floral note. Local winemakers are also currently experimenting with other grape varietals, to determine which grow best in different regions. Interestingly, in the north they are producing some excellent ice wines made with Vidal Blanc, Riesling and indigenous grapes.

The majority of the wines are made in a lighter style, from 12% to 13% alcohol, with a fruity New World taste and no to moderate oak. However, some of the more expensive reds tend to emulate Bordeaux with heavier oak and complex earthy and herbal notes. The quality ranges from acrid, oxidized, bitter wines to exquisite, perfectly balanced award winners. Since most of the wineries in China are quite new, they won’t export until they know the quality is there. There are exceptions, however, such as Great Wall ‒ the second-largest wine brand in the world ‒ which is exported to Chinatowns around the world.

Though most food and wine experts will tell you that spicy Chinese food pairs best with white wines, 90% of wine consumed in China is red. Some Chinese say this is because they prefer the combination of spicy food and red wine on the palate as it is more intense. Others point out it is because the colour red signifies good fortune, while white symbolises death, and that red wine is served at room temperature, whereas white is cold, and drinking cold beverages is considered unhealthy. Red wine also tends to be more expensive and therefore more desirable to status-seeking Chinese and finally, many Chinese drink wine by shooting it in a gan-bei toast, so don’t really taste it at all!

At the same time, there is an increasingly sophisticated wine culture in the major cities. Young professionals crowd wine bars and many drink wine with meals. Wine education is booming, and the number of local sommeliers has increased hugely. It may not be long before education about Chinese wines begins to grow too.

MADE IN CHINA

You won’t find these wines in your supermarkets ‒ yet. But here’s a few to look out for:

Grace Vineyards Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc Light, elegant, and fruity wines.

Silver Heights Cabernet Sauvignon Big, complex yet elegant with notes of blackcurrant and cedar. 

Chateau Helan Quintxu Cabernet Sauvignon or Riesling Massive Cabernet designed to go with a big steak. Soft, elegant, fruity Riesling with floral notes and a hint of sweetness.

Xixia King Chardonnay Classic Chardonnay with apple, lemon, and mineral notes. 

Chateau Lilan Syrah or Pinot Noir Velvety syrah oozing with mixed berry and milk chocolate notes. Concentrated Pinot Noir with plush raspberry and truffle notes.

Chateau Bacchus Vidal Blanc Ice Wine Sweet and decadent with dried apricot and honeysuckle.

Dr Liz Thach, MW is a wine professor and writer who has tasted more than 80 Chinese wines on her travels to China. Learn more about her experiences at winetravelstories.blogspot.co.uk

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【微信公共号】【冒牌酿酒师_钟翔】

法国酿酒师联盟会员、法国国家酿酒师、非著名葡萄酒记者、手机重度依赖症患者。 

聊聊和葡萄酒有关的人与事儿、以及那些“瞎扯淡”的人生感悟。  

钟翔的酒馆，有酒，有故事......

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