China’s wine regions: Shanxi

Known as a major coal mining province in China, Shanxi’s coal production has fuelled the country’s fast-track economic development for decades. Its ancient courtyards, traditional Yaodong or cave dwellings are dotted around the landscape of the arid Shanxi Plateau, part of the Loess Plateau in northwestern China. Winemaking in the northern province is limited but the province is said to be among the first places in China to experiment with winemaking; Qingxu County, south of its provincial Capitial Taiyuan, has records showing winemaking history that dates back to 2,000 years.

The inland region enjoys a typical continental climate, and most vineyards are located either on on terraced hills or in the foothills of the mountain range in the southeastern part….