Dalian update: Drinking red in China

As y'all know I fancy a nice glass of red from time to time. But wine lovers are not having an easy time in China. Prices are high compared to other drinks, and often a bottle of Johnny Walker or Remy Martin is cheaper than an ordinary bottle of Chianti or Bourgogne. The Metro supermarket in Dalian does offer an OK Bordeaux from Marquis de Rothberg (also available at German supermarkets) for the equivalent of 6 euros, which is about the best deal I am aware of till today. I have also tried an imported Valpolicella and Barbera d' Asti, which were drinkable but it spoils the fun when you know you're paying triple or quadriple the price for such an ordinary bottle than in Europe. So the local wine market has had to be examined. Chinese red wine is quite unknown, of course, and the Chinese people do not have the reputation of being wine drinkers. In fact, alcohol consumption is fairly low, and if Chinese drink it's a regular beer or the hard stuff, bai jiu, liquor that often exceeds 40% easily. It has been a pleasant surprise to taste the local red wine from Changyu winery in Yantai, across the Dalian Bay in Shandong Province. I have tried two different labels and the so-called Premium label is indeed the best red wine (within my budget range) I have enjoyed here in China! Changyu is in fact the oldest winery in China, founded as long ago as 1892, and aims to develop wines modelled on the French classics. European grapes, such as cabernet, were imported to China and French winemakers were hired to introduce the craft here. The result more than a century later is definitely not bad, I'd say. Let's see whether I can visit the Changyu winery when I'll be travelling around Yantai and Shandong for a few days next month. The second big wine producer in China is Great Wall Wine, founded only in 1983, and located a bit further west in Hebei, the Province surrounding Beijing. I purchased a "recommended" bottle the other day. Let's see whether it matches Changyu.