Taste test

Chen Yuwei, a student from Sichuan International Studies University who majors in French, says making wine is like creating an artwork full of mystique.

"Each grape features a unique taste. I am always surprised and delighted when I taste something unique," she says.

But although the Left Bank Bordeaux Cup is all about French wines, the competition has nonetheless sparked interest in Chinese wines as well.

One of the contestants, Li Xiaohang, says he hopes to promote the wine industry in Shandong province by becoming a winemaker himself.

"It's a well-known fact that France is famous for wine, but Yantai, one of the earliest birthplaces of China's liquor industry, is in need of promotion abroad," he adds.

According to a 2018 survey taken by one of the world's top wine exhibitions, Vinexpo, the consumption of wine in China has been growing since 2011.

It is estimated that China's per capita consumption of wine will reach 1.6 liters by 2021, making the country the world's second-largest wine consumer after the US.

Contact the writer at caochen@chinadaily.com.cn