Europe’s Elite Wineries Try to Make Chinese Drink Their Own Wine

As China celebrated the 70th birthday of the Communist Party with a parade in Beijing last month, alongside the obligatory displays of tanks and nuclear missiles was a showcase of its cultural treasures. Sandwiched between elaborate floats featuring giant pandas and dancing women in local costumes was an entry from the northern Ningxia province adorned with grapes and wine barrels -- to represent the region’s premium vineyards.

It’s perhaps fitting that the country’s wineries were showcased on a day devoted to the “Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation.” Vintners are seeking to reinvent an industry plagued by its reputation for mass-produced, bad quality wine. With the trade war fueling a slowdown in the economy, they’re banking on patriotism to convince local consumers to appreciate “Made in China” wine.