Chinese reds

Sand dunes in the Gobi rival those of the Sahara in size and majesty. They are responsible for sandstorms in Beijing that have become more and more frequent. So both Mongolia and China’s autonomous region of Inner Mongolia have embarked on a reclamation program of tree, shrub and grass plantings in the region.

The government of China has set a course to arrest desertification by planting the Green Wall of China. Local farmers are trained in the art of growing grapes, as well as corn and other crops. This diversification ensures a steady income in an area where rivers run dry in the scorching summer months, and where evaporation takes away more than is replenished by annual rainfall.

Part of this success is due to planting alfalfa, which provides nitrogen to the soil, while at the same time its roots hold and bind the soil. Alfalfa also attracts bees that in turn pollinate. The crop also provides forage for sheep—as it has done since the time of the Greeks. This keeps sheep from grazing on the open grasslands, which partly contributed to the desertification of Mongolia.

Partnerships between French and Chinese wine houses have been encouraged. By using modern technology, one particular vineyard managed to stop desertification and bring in a crop of over 10,000 tons of grapes. Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot have been successfully grafted onto local rootstock with great success— despite the alkaline soil and hostile environment. Greek explorers and settlers originally brought that rootstock in the fourth century B.C. Much later, Marco Polo, commented on the wine it produced. Suffice to say, wine production in China is driven by Chinese consumer appreciation of red varietals.

It wasn’t until 2008, however, that the noted wine house of Berry Bros in the United Kingdom flagged China as an emerging wine producer and, more importantly, a major consumer of European and New World wines.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
Last week, I finally managed to revisit Karlo Estates to stock up on my list of County essentials, which includes their noteworthy Van Alstine port-style wine.

I was totally taken by the Gilmour wines, now available for purchase at their winery located on Danforth Road. The rosé, made from pinot, really caught my attention as a wine to be appreciated for its correctness and charm. It is named after his first-born daughter, Maddison. The Gilmour red is a careful blend that reaches all the right notes, and the white—that will appeal to all—is a collaboration between Doug Gilmour and the late, and greatly missed, County visionary Richard Karlo.

Although the fruit is from out of the County, the labor and passion are totally local. Sublime wines at very reasonable prices.