Going for gold

No two vintages are ever quite the same — even with the same wine, a shift in climate from year to year subtly transforms the flavor of the grapes. But in the hands of a talented winemaker, even a tough harvest can yield something remarkable.

Kang Kai, a rising star on China's wine scene, proves exactly that. His Renyiyuan Tao Cabernet Sauvignon — both the 2019 and 2020 vintages — took home awards at the 2025 Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards, impressing an international panel of judges despite the vastly different growing conditions of the two years.

The 2020 vintage was the standout, sweeping four major honors: Best Wine of China, Best Red Wine, Best of Ningxia, and Best Cabernet Sauvignon.

Born in 1995, the winemaker at the Ren Yi Yuan Vineyard in Ningxia's Helan Mountain region, also made history as the inaugural recipient of the newly introduced Best Young Winemaker award — becoming the biggest winner of the night.

The awards ceremony, organized by Wynn Signature, Wynn's exclusive lifestyle brand, was held in April in Macao with support from the Macao Government Tourism Office.

"Our vineyard is located in the Jinshan subregion of the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region — a boutique, high-quality wine-producing area," Kang says. "While we're not yet as well-known as some of our peers in the region, this recognition for Best Wine affirms our dedication to quality.

"Our owner always says it's okay if costs are higher or yields lower, as long as every bottle reflects our commitment to quality."

Kang says that 2019 was a particularly favorable year for winemaking in Ningxia. With moderate rainfall and ample sunshine, it is widely regarded as one of the region's best vintages. "Many of our other wines from that year also showed excellent flavor," he says. "This is thanks to the terroir and geographical advantages of Ningxia. Our vineyard is located in the heart of the region — one of China's largest contiguous wine-producing areas, and among the most awarded regions internationally."

In contrast, 2020 was colder, with a longer growing season. The phenolic compounds in the grapes developed more slowly, pushing harvest to about two weeks later than the previous year.

Kang saw this as an opportunity to make a wine that truly expressed the year's unique character. During vinification, he reduced pump-overs and cap management to better preserve the fruit aromas, and shortened the post-fermentation maceration period to allow for a slower, more delicate extraction of tannins and phenolics.

"The 2019 vintage is richer and fuller, while the 2020 is more elegant in aroma, with balanced acidity, good structure, and refined tannins," he says.

Kang didn't begin his career in wine. He originally worked in petrochemicals before making a complete career shift in 2019, starting from scratch as a cellar worker. Through hands-on experience, he learned the craft and fell in love with wine.

The Ren Yi Yuan is barely any older than Kang's winemaking career. It planted its first grapes in 2010, finished the winery in 2018, and began full operations in 2019.

The 120-hectare estate now grows nine varieties and produces about 500,000 bottles a year. Kang reflects a vision of creating a time-honored brand rooted in heritage. "It promotes Confucian values of benevolence and virtue, and reminds us of our commitment to making wines that represent the Chinese terroir with care and excellence."

The winery's architecture emphasizes design and cultural symbolism. Its labels are traditionally Chinese in style — the award-winning bottle features a depiction of Laozi, a key Taoist figure, riding an ox.

"Laozi promoted the harmony of nature — and that's what we aim for in our winemaking, an expression of the land," Kang explains. Another label features the legendary musicians Boya and Ziqi, further tying the wine to cultural heritage.

In addition to grape growing and winemaking, the winery now includes a tasting area and is building a second-phase tourism project. This will include guesthouses and Ningxia cuisine, and is expected to open in the second half of this year.

"We're developing a 3,000-square-meter space, plus five space capsule-style guest rooms nestled among the vines — open the window and you'll see the vineyard stretching right outside," Kang says.

Kang isn't a newcomer to winning awards. Just last year, wines from the estate earned more than 50 accolades in different competitions. The 2019 vintage, one of their earliest, underwent 15 months of aging and over two years of bottle maturation before launching in September 2022. It has since won more than 30 domestic and international awards.

The 2020 vintage, on the other hand, had not even been officially released when it won big. It was the first time Kang had entered the wine into a competition — and it came away with top honors.

"We were surprised by the win," Kang says. "Now we're labeling the wine and preparing for release. Competing isn't about chasing trends. With 120 hectares under vine, our goal is to focus on quality and reach more drinkers."

"Recognition from the judges affirms our standards, and we also hope consumers will be the ultimate judges of our quality."

It was no easy feat for the yet-to-be-released wine to take home the top award. The judging panel chose it from around 900 entries submitted by nearly 200 top wineries, following a week of blind tasting and scoring.

The competition followed international standards, with a 27-member jury that included 10 Masters of Wine, 3 Master Sommeliers, and one expert with both titles.

The Helan Mountain Special Reserve Chardonnay 2021 received two honors: Best White Wine and Best Chardonnay. The Domaine Franco-Chinois Reserve Marselan 2012 was awarded both Best of North China and Best Marselan, and the Tiansai Sparkling Wine 2017 earned titles for Best of Xinjiang and Best Sparkling Wine.

One of the judges, Australian wine industry veteran Iain Riggs, has judged wines in Australia, Shanghai, California, and London. Reflecting on the Chinese Wine Awards, Riggs calls them unique because of their exclusive focus on domestic wines.

"When I first judged in Shanghai, there were very few Chinese wines. By the time I finished, they had grown significantly. Then, everything stopped. Coming back last year, we had 700 Chinese wines. This year, it's 900," he says.

He has observed a shift in judging outcomes. "Last year, 50 gold medals were awarded out of 700 wines. This year, the number of entries rose, but the number of golds fell. That's partly due to vintage challenges in 2021 and 2022, and partly because judging has become stricter — we're not just handing out golds."

The Renyiyuan Tao Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 clearly stood out. "When judging, you look at color, aroma, and flavor. This one wins on all three," Riggs says. "The color was vibrant and fresh, even after five years. The aroma was full of blackberry, cassis, and a hint of tobacco and cedar from the oak. Slightly high in alcohol, but well-balanced. It'll age beautifully."

The Australian has witnessed a significant transformation in Chinese winemaking. "From 2011 to 2020, the market favored big reds with heavy oak and tannins. Now we're seeing more finesse — lighter styles, lower alcohol."

He says that the younger generation around the world, including in China, are turning away from their parents' drinking preferences. "They want to enjoy a meal with a lighter style of wine"