Champagne know-how in the desert
Moët Hennessy began looking for a site in China in 2009, convinced that the country had great potential both for producing and for drinking quality sparkling wine. It chose Ningxia, and in June 2013 it inaugurated Domaine Chandon China, a 66-hectare estate near Yinchuan, at the foot of the Helan Mountains. It was the first house in China dedicated to premium sparkling wine.
Made in the traditional way
Chandon China makes its sparkling wines with the traditional method, the same used in Champagne, from the two classic Champagne grapes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In 2024 it became the first Chinese sparkling-wine estate certified for organic viticulture, and the same year its Chandon Brut won a Gold medal with 95 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards.
Wines designed for China
Alongside its classic Brut, Chandon China has created wines specifically for Chinese drinkers. Chandon Me, launched in 2017, is a demi-sec sparkling wine designed to be enjoyed even at room temperature, and Chandon Xi (禧, 'joy, good fortune') is a red demi-sec sparkling wine created for festive occasions, in the colour of luck in Chinese culture.
Why it matters
Chandon was one of the first international investments in Ningxia and helped put the region on the map. It remains the reference for sparkling wine in China.