Chinese Chardonnay Coming in Hot

www.ozy.com [OZY]() Your World. Bold & Bright [Daily Dose]( Sponsored by [Cariuma]( The newsletter to fuel — and thrill — your mind. Read for deep dives into the unmissable ideas and topics shaping our world. Jul 31, 2022 Today Like a college band that’s gone mainstream, Napa Valley still produces some hits, but its wines are often overvalued and, according to some critics, tend to be caricatures of themselves. Recently, China and a range of other countries and regions are emerging as producers of intriguing, quality wines. Here’s a rundown of where to find your next vinous kick. — with reporting by [Nick Dall]( from Cape Town, South Africa [A Gift For You]( [Cariuma]( The shoe with the [61,000-person waitlist]( is back! If you missed them the last time around, the sneakers we can’t get enough of are back - and just in time for summer! These all-season low-tops are OZY’s favorite look for dressing up or down. But don’t wait around, these comfy kicks fly off the shelves and won’t be around for long! Grab a pair with our exclusive code, [OZY20](, landing you 20% OFF. This special offer is just for OZY readers. [Snag A Pair Here]( ‘Ningxia Valley’ Not quite Napa First things first: Will there be another Napa? “Sorry to disappoint you,” says[Chris Alheit](, a top-end South African winemaker with a[loyal following](, “But I don’t think there will be any more Napas.” This is not, he stresses, because there aren’t other emerging wine regions worth getting excited about — but because it’s hard to replicate the factors that led to Napa’s inexorable rise in the 1980s and ‘90s. “For there to be another Napa,” Alheit explains, “We’d need another surging economy with a huge interest in local produce.” But there is one big contender … Go east If there is going to be another Napa, Alheit reckons it’s most likely to emerge in China, where the wine market is[expected to hit $18 billion next year](. Not only has the rapidly expanding Chinese middle class developed a taste for finer wine, but the country has a long history of grape-growing and wine production, so there’s something to build on. The most exciting wine region in China, according to leading U.K. wine critic [Tim Atkin MW](, is Ningxia — a high-altitude region where vines are buried underground to ensure they survive the harsh winters. While many of[Ningxia’s best wines]( are made from familiar grapes like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, the region is also[betting on Marselan](, a French grape developed just 60 years ago. Going global But it isn’t just the domestic market that Ningxia’s winemakers are targeting. The region’s wine exports[shot up by 256%]( in 2021. Ningxia’s vineyards, which Chinese President Xi Jinping visited in 2020, are at the heart of Beijing’s efforts to increase the[country’s wine production eight-fold]( by 2035. It isn’t just government support that’s driving growth in Ningxia, though. Experts credit an adventurous spirit among the region’s private winemakers, who have also turned to sustainable, biodynamic farming. The world is noticing: In June, Chinese wines had their [most successful outing yet]( at the influential Decanter World Wine Awards. [5 STARS FOR COMFORT]( [Cariuma]( No one likes breaking in a new pair of shoes. With [Cariuma’s]( broken-in-out-of-the-box feel, you’ll be sure to recommend them to friends! Planning on walking around town this summer? Make sure you check out their vast range of colors, prints, and exciting limited edition collabs - they have a style for every look! Excited to try them? Get [20% OFF](at checkout with your personal code, OZY20. This special offer is just for OZY readers. [LET’S GO!]( Climate conundrum Going higher Climate change, says Atkin, “is the single biggest game changer facing the wine world.” Warmer climates and less water will lead some regions to pull up vines in favor of other crops. But there are also likely to be quite a few beneficiaries. One way to adapt to climate change, Atkin explains, “is to grow grapes at higher altitude, where it’s cooler and you don’t generally need to irrigate as much.” Ningxia certainly fits this bill. But so too do[sky-high Uspallata in Argentina]( and Chile’s[Viñedos de Alcohuaz on the other side of the Andes](. Another region that excites Atkin is[Galicia in Spain](, which traditionally received “almost too much rain” but is now picking grapes two weeks earlier. “[Galician reds are now ripe on a regular basis](, instead of only one year in five,” says Atkin. And if you’re after a truly left-field pick, he adds, keep an eye out for wines from[Rogge Cloof]( in a cold corner of the South African interior that’s[more famous for its telescopes]( than its wines. Closer to the poles The other way of contending with climate change is to plant wines further north. Both Atkin and Alheit offer multiple examples of places doing this. Among them is the south of England. “There’s already[great enthusiasm for English bubbly](,” says Alheit, “And if[current climate trends]( continue, England could be producing some serious dry wines in the next 30 years or so.” Other Northern Hemisphere regions on Alheit’s radar include the Willamette Valley in Oregon (specifically the[Van Duzer Corridor]() and[Canada’s Okanagan Valley](. Southern stars Atkin, meanwhile, is most excited about Southern Hemisphere wines on the fringes of current hotspots. “In the past Uruguay was considered marginal,” he explains. “But now their[Tannat]( [the nation’s flagship red] is good much more often than not.” If he had to pick a particular region of Uruguay, he’d go with[Maldonado on the Atlantic coast](. The other area that could really benefit from climate change, according to Atkin, is Patagonia — on both the Chilean and Argentine sides of the Andes. “It’s cold enough, wet enough and land is cheap enough,” he says. “The only problem is frost risk, but there are ways around that.” (And climate change might reduce the number of frosty nights.) Forgotten regions Wine islands The world of fine wines is so dominated by a few countries and regions that places which have produced great wines for decades — or even centuries — can go unnoticed by the outside world. Alheit points to far-flung volcanic islands that have been making unique wines since medieval times. Wine’s been a staple on the island of[Pico in the Azores archipelago]( since the 1400s, and these days 17 different grapes are farmed on the tiny island. Another speck in the Atlantic worth focusing on is[Tenerife in the Canary Islands](. Hidden fine wines Alheit is understandably biased towards South African wines, and particularly the[Swartland region](, but Atkin is exceedingly quick to back him up. “Nobody thinks of South Africa as making fine wines but its[old-vine]([Chenin Blancs]( are some of the best in the world.” Other regions about which Atkin waxes lyrical include Greece (“its wines are criminally underrated”) and the more northerly (and wetter) parts of Portugal. Grape expectations Even though there are “probably only ten truly global grapes,” says Alheit, adventurous wine drinkers would do well to look out for lesser-known grapes with strong regional identities. While there are “hundreds” of such examples, he describes[Furmint from Hungary]( as a “sleeping giant” with delicious acidity, and he also heaps praise on the old-vine Palominos from Tenerife. Atkin, meanwhile, describes[Assyrtiko from the island of Santorini]( as “probably one of the ten best white grapes in the world…But nobody’s even heard of it.” WATCH JOSH GAD on [The Carlos Watson Show](! [Josh Gad on The Carlos Watson Show with American Family]( Old dogs, new tricks Bordeaux comeback? At the same time, it would be a folly to write off the world’s traditionally great wine regions or grapes. Alheit says he expects Bordeaux — which in recent decades catered to American palates with bigger, riper wines — to return to its roots and make more traditional clarets. He says that although buyers [might no longer be prepared to pay the eyewatering prices of 10 or 15 years ago](, Bordeaux “is still a damned good place to make wine.” Burgundy shift While Atkin thinks climate change will have more of an impact on places like Burgundy than Alheit does, both see a future for the region. “Climate change might stand the[Grand Cru]( system on its head,” says Atkin, referring to the most respected grading system for wine-producing regions within France. “But there’s no reason Burgundy can’t start making Syrah and Grenache instead of Pinot Noir.” Alheit doesn’t even think they’ll have to go that far. “Burgundy is a cult of places where every bottle you buy is unique.” Places like Napa may think they invented artisanal culture, but Burgundy has a 2,000-year headstart. Community Corner What’s the best “undiscovered” wine you’ve had from an unexpected part of the world? Don’t hold out on us, we want to know! Share your thoughts with us at OzyCommunity@Ozy.com. ABOUT OZY OZY is a diverse, global and forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on “the New and the Next.” OZY creates space for fresh perspectives, and offers new takes on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment. [www.ozy.com]( / #OZY Curiosity. Enthusiasm. Action. That’s OZY! [TV]( | [PODCASTS]( | [NEWS]( | [FESTIVALS]( A Modern Media Company OZY Media, 800 West El Camino Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Read Online](