As reported by: DC Foodies
I am a big fan of underdog wines. Oh sure, it's great to pick out a good California Cabernet, or a French Burgundy, but those are a dime a dozen, and by most accounts, 'good.' Granted, they aren't all superstars, and some are gonna be pretty boring - but by and large, thanks to decades, and sometimes centuries of practice and investment, winemakers in these places can consistently turn out a drinkable product. Now where, may I ask you, is the fun in that? True, you can go get your bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir and be pretty sure it is good, but will you have the same satisfaction as the man who gambles on a Virginia Cabernet Franc and gets a winner? Variety is the spice, friends, and nothing is more variable than wines from your 'lesser' appellations. Bearing this in mind, you can understand my thrill when, on my recent visit to upstate New York, I came across Dragon's Hollow Unoaked Chardonnay, a bottle of real, honest to Mao Chinese Wine! I'd been looking for one of these for ages, and snapped it up, throwing down my $12.99 with a grin.

Dragon's Hollow - clearly named and marketed for an English speaking audience - is made in the foothills of the He Lan Mountain in north-central China. Once a vast expanse of desert, the area now hosts a 6,000 hectare vineyard, thanks to heavy investment from the importer, Broadbent Selections, which owns 50% of the venture. Planted with familiar French varietals such as Chardonnay, Riesling, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Dragon's Hollow is one of the larger examples of the new 'Chateau-style' wineries popping up all over China. Though the Chinese wine industry is huge (seventh largest in the world, by some estimates), with a winemaking tradition dating back to the seventh century AD, it is largely constituted of state-run mega vineyards, producing bulk wine for a huge population just awakening to wine's pleasures.


Article By: DC Foodies