Fruit of the desert

By happenstance, I recently came across a news article on vineyards in the Gobi desert. My only previous knowledge of the area was its historic significance as a barrier between the Mongols and the Chinese Empire. I more recently read of the Gobi’s fierce sandstorms (one of which deposited over 300,000 tons of sand on Beijing) which quite commonly carry sand by the jet stream to the shores of North America. And then I remembered that to create a sandstorm barrier for the Beijing Olympic Games, the government had to literally plant a forest in order to stabilize the eastern boundary of the Gobi.

So the article had me hooked—especially when I read that the vines are buried in sand to protect them against the extremes in temperature between winter and summer. Once the temperature moderates, and the vines are de-hilled, the vineyards are irrigated with water drawn from the Yellow River. The winery showcased in the artcle is state of the art: its owner brought in French winemakers to oversee its operation. They grow cabernet sauvignon and merlot varietals to produce wine that is greatly admired by cognoscenti.

Chinese wine production is now fifth in the world; most of it is consumed

domestically. Wine consumption, on average, is only in 0.37 litres per year. But, keep in mind that only a small percentage of China’s 1.5 billion people currently drink wine. Given the giant steps that the Chinese wine industry is making, many wine experts believe the quality of Chinese wine will equal that of Bordeaux within the next 50 years.

Fine Chinese wines are now imported into B.C and California. They have only just begun to arrive into Ontario; offerings in the L.C.B.O are sparse. I suspect this will change in time.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
I was impressed by the depth and complexity of the newly released 2010 Merlot from Harwood Estates Vineyards. With grapes sourced from the Niagara region, this wine puts to shame the poor press that merlot has received since the movie Sideways.

The team at Harwood Estates has fashioned a fine example of Canadian Merlot. Its rich, deep, blood color is inviting and the nose is a pleasant, cedar cigar box. Its palate boasts a range of cherry, red currants and chervil, with a light, lingering, cedar finish.

Winemaker Lauren Horlock crafted this wine that, priced at $29, is sure to be in high demand. Harwood Estates Vineyard is located at 18908 Loyalist Parkway, just west of Hillier.