Moët Hennessy to Open its First Winery in China in June 2013

When Moët Hennessy took the bold move of developing its first major winery in China, it was looking not only for the vast country’s finest terroir, but also to create an iconic winery in the world’s fastest growing market for fine wines.

The Chandon Nangxia Winery is a one-year build project scheduled for completion in June 2013, with construction budgeted for US$5.5 million or US$880 per sqm.

Once complete, the Chandon Nangxia Winery will be a 6,300 sqm complex featuring a fully operational winery, fermentation cellars, technical tasting rooms and a visitor centre.

The harsh Ningxia winters and flood-prone summers, have caused some design challenges however. Traditionally, wine is stored in underground cellars, but in Ningxia designers have taken tips from the local wine growers who, each winter, bury the vines completely to protect them from the cold. Using the same technique, hundreds of tonnes of local earth was moved to ‘bury’ the fermentation cellars above ground.

In contrast to the modernist exterior, the interiors offer a warm, inviting and luxurious ambiance for guests to relax and enjoy the Chandon wines and vintages.

The Technical Tasting Room is designed with good natural light, a view into the fermentation cellar, and is roomy enough to provide blind and communal tasting, as well as a comfortable casual discussion area.

The first China-origin Méthode Champenoise wine from the winery is expected to be available in the market in 2014, using Chardonnay, Chennin Blanc and Pinot Noir grapes.

Ningxia is in the central north of China, to the south of Inner Mongolia.