Chinese winery goes ape for CNY

Primate Pinot? Tiansai Vineyards has released two ‘auspicious’ wines in commemoration of the approaching Year of the Monkey.

The winery in Xinjiang has unveiled the latest additions to its new Chinese Zodiac series to welcome in the Chinese New Year celebrations which this year falls on 8 February under the sign of the monkey.

The 2015 Tiansai Monkey Chardonnay and 2015 Tiansai Monkey Cabernet Sauvignon were launched at a news conference in Beijing by Wang Qi, vice president and secretary general of the China Alcohol Drinks Association, Wang Zuming, secretary general of the wine department of China Alcohol Drinks Association, Li Demei, a Chinese wine expert and associate Professor at the Beijing University of Agriculture and Tiansai Vineyards’ owner, Chen Lizhong.

Tiansai Vineyards introduced its Chinese Zodiac range in 2012 in a bid to make the most of the most auspicious time of year to start a new venture.

In ancient Chinese literature, alcohol and primates stories are well documented: Gibbons in particular, were reputed to be very fond of the taste of fermenting fruit which made them drunk and easier to capture.