Telling wine stories
As Ningxia's winemakers experiment with new styles, another challenge is emerging: how to introduce those wines — and the stories behind them — to a younger generation.
For Zhang Yanli of Fei Tswei Winery, the answer lies in storytelling.
"Traditional promotion, such as exhibitions, competitions, distributors and tasting events, mostly reaches people who already drink wine," she said. "But what about young people who know little about it? How can we reach them?"
Zhang believes wine is about more than what is in the glass. Every bottle tells a story of the people who grow the grapes, the changing seasons and the land where it is made.
That thinking inspired Fei Tswei Chronicle, an interactive narrative game that introduces players to winemaking through a journey across time.
Set in 2126, the game takes players back a century to a winery at the foot of the Helan Mountains, where they experience a full year of grape growing and winemaking.
Across 14 chapters inspired by China's 24 solar terms, players make choices that shape the story and lead to seven possible endings. Their decisions also generate personalized wine profiles, suggesting wines that may suit their tastes.
Interactive features introduce key winemaking concepts along the way.
Zhang said the game is expected to launch soon. Its development has brought together young professionals in scriptwriting, illustration, game design and computer science, giving them a chance to contribute to the wine industry beyond traditional production and marketing.
"Young people aren't just the future consumers of Chinese wine," Zhang said. "They're also the ones who will define its culture."
For Zhang, success does not necessarily mean turning every player into a customer.
"We hope to plant a seed in their minds," she said. "That China makes good wine, and that winemaking itself can be fascinating. Perhaps one day, when they want a glass of wine, they'll remember the Helan Mountains."
