Wine made in . . . China? Until recently, for most people, at best, it didn’t exist. Or at worst, as some wine writers complained in their tasting notes, it was reminiscent of “ash tray, coffee grounds, and urinal crust.” Then a 2009 Chinese red won Best Bordeaux Blend. Could China take over the wine world as well?

Cynthia Howson and Pierre Li provide a knowledgeable and exuberant exploration of how Chinese wine went from being ignored and ridiculed to earning gold medals and praise by famous critics in less than a decade. They take the reader along on their adventure on the China wine trail to meet the farmers, entrepreneurs, and teachers who are shaping this new industry. They travel to Chinese wine tourism hotspots, talk to winemakers who struggle to find good wine grapes, and visit lush mountaintops and arid deserts to see what French multinational corporations have in common with small Chinese farmers. Then, they visit a Chinese wine school to meet professors and their students eager to join the wine workforce. They reveal where they bought the best local wines as they give travelers new insights on China and ideas for Chinese wine tourism. Readers interested in current affairs, economic development, and business in China will find that wine offers a clear lens for understanding the larger issues facing the country.