China to exhibit wine for the first time at LIWF 2013

Chinese wine will be represented at this year's London International Wine Fair for the first time by Château Hansen.

Bruno Paumard, who has overseen winemaking at Château Hansen's estate since 2010, will be presenting the wines at LIWF in May.

Château Hansen was established by the Han family in the 1980s and is China's first organic estate. Located in Wuhai, on the southern edge of the Gobi Desert, its 450ha of vineyards have been planted in the Wuhai Valley and adjacent region of Ningxia, at around 1,500m.

Conditions are arid with temperatures dropping to as low as -30°C over the winter months, when the vines are buried for protection.

Château Hansen currently produces around two million bottles annually, with no history of exporting until now. Château Hansen will be showing its Côtes du Fleuve Jaune du Désert de Gobi at the LIWF. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Gernischt, Cabernet Franc and Merlot sourced from parcels in Ningxia, Gansu and Wuhai and aged in 30% new French oak for 16 months. Cabernet Gernischt is considered the flagship varietal for China with spicy, peppery characteristics.

"We are delighted that Château Hansen will be using the LIWF as a launch platform into the UK and key European markets. More than ever the Fair is a showcase for new, unexplored territories in the wine world; as well as China, visitors will be able to discover wineries from more than 30 countries," said show director, Ross Carter.