China producer profile: Golden Icewine Valley – Huanren, Liaoning

In 2006, Changyu built its own estate and named it Golden Icewine Valley – a nod to its ambition to make ‘drops of gold’, or premium-quality ice wines, from this cold continental region.

Sourcing its Vidal grapes from 333 hectares of vineyards near Huanlong Lake and at the foothills of Wunü Mountain at 41°N latitude, Golden Icewine Valley benefits from a microclimate that ensures sufficient humidity in harsh winters, typical of Northeast China.

The grapes are left on trellises for at least 30 days in the region’s humid and freezing winter weather and only picked at dawn after a continuous 12 hours below -8°C. Only 20% of the harvest can be used to make ice wine. Now, with total production reaching one million bottles a year, Golden Icewine Valley’s product range spans entry-level to top-tier wines: Gold Diamond, Blue Diamond and Black Diamond.

Although a considerable proportion of the world’s ice wines are now produced in Huanren, few are available in western markets. However, Golden Icewine Valley’s portfolio is among the most widely exported. In 2013 its wines were served at the Burj Al Arab, Dubai’s seven-star luxury hotel, as well as on the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria ocean liners the following year. Today Golden Icewine Valley wines are available in 10 countries.

Chateau Changyu, Golden Icewine Valley, Black Diamond Vidal, Huanren, Liaoning 2022

The 2017 vintage won 2020 DWWA Gold – 95pts

CPT: Liaoning effortlessly produces ice wine of mind- boggling quality. The apricot fruit here is so pure, long and intense. Rich and ripe with crazy persistence. Grape: Vidal 100%. Alc: 10.5%

Trade contact: taibeiwu@cht-bs.de; lenz.moser@lmm-projects.com

Stockist: Berkmann (UK), WTG Working Together Gmbh

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Sylvia Wu is Decanter's Regional Editor for Asia and Northern & Eastern Europe. She also works as the Editor of Decanter China platforms, overseeing Decanter’s China-focused editorial operation.