From Eastern Europe to Shandong
Chateau Nine Peaks was founded in 2008 by the financier Karl Hauptmann, who had already established wineries in Bulgaria and Romania. He chose Laixi, a city on the eastern coast of Shandong between Qingdao and Yantai, at the foot of Nine Peaks Mountain.
Building from the roots
The estate covers 160 hectares, including about 90 hectares of vines. The first vines were planted in 2009, and Nine Peaks imported rootstock and set up its own three-hectare nursery to grow its plants.
Wines for the world
Nine Peaks sells its wines in China and in around ten other markets, including France, Germany, Malaysia and Japan, and relies on personal tastings, often at the château itself, to introduce them.
Why it matters
Nine Peaks is one of the few European-owned estates in Shandong and a reminder that the coast between Qingdao and Yantai has more to offer than its famous neighbours.