Long journey from coal mines to wine

After quitting his job as a civil servant in his hometown Xiangning county in North China's Shanxi province in 1997 when he was in his mid-30s, Zhang Wenquan became a billionaire by operating several coal mines, coking plants, a cement plant and a power station.

But when the financial crisis and the subsequent economic recession hit his coal business, he decided it was time for another change and he fixed his mind on making wine. He spent more than 600 million yuan ($92 million) to create a 400-hectare vineyard and a 30-hectare park with chateau in the county.

Summing up this change, he said, "My business contacts were mostly rough guys. As long as they had enough to eat and enough alcohol to drink, they were happy. Now my partners are elegant, educated, and have seen the world."