From coal to vines
Chateau Hedong lies in Shizuishan, at the northern end of the Helan Mountain East region in Ningxia, an area once known for coal mining. Founded in 1997, it is one of the oldest estates in the region. In 2010 it was bought by Gong Jie, a former coal mine operator, who turned his attention to wine; in 2011 the French winemaker Guillaume Mottes joined him.
A hundred-year-old vineyard
In 2022 experts identified more than 220 vines over a century old on the estate. Shizuishan listed them as a protected cultural site, the first vineyard in Ningxia to receive that status, as early evidence of grape growing at the foot of the Helan Mountains. The oldest has a trunk 28.6 cm across.
Vineyards and farming
The estate farms about 2,600 mu (around 170 hectares) of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, with Syrah, Marselan, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Gernischt and Chardonnay. Soils are rich in selenium, and the estate grows fruit trees and medicinal herbs among the vines to encourage biodiversity.
Recognition
Chateau Hedong is a Second Growth in Ningxia’s winery classification, and won two gold medals at the 2017 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. Li Demei cites it as one of the producers that show the quality of Shizuishan.