Expats try sparkling wine in Yantai

A production line at Giardino Estate, a sparkling wine producer in Yantai, Shandong province [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Giardino Estate, a producer of sparkling wine based in Yantai, Shandong province, invited a group of expats to learn about wine production on Oct 28.

"Fruit wines, incredible. I mean the production facility, it's massive. I didn't even imagine it would be as big as it is. And it's great," said Kenneth Cari from the United States after tasting a cup of fruit wine and visiting its production line and advanced warehousing facilities.

Giardino Estate, founded in 2015, specializes in the production of sparkling wine, fruit wine, and various kinds of juices, most of which are low-alcohol content.

The company has a storage tank for making up to 3,000 tons of sparkling wine at once, and it is the only professional producer of tank-fermented sparkling wine in China.

Kenneth Cari from the United States tastes fruit wine at Giardino Estate, a sparkling wine producer in Yantai, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"I knew that they had some wineries in Yantai, but I didn't know that they actually made fruit wines, Cari said, "I'm from the Napa Valley, which is very famous for its wine. And this reminds me of my hometown, it feels very comfortable here."

The ingredients used by the company are mostly high-quality local grapes, apples, apricots, and other fruits. The sparkling wine has low alcohol content, a refreshing acidity and sweetness, a fruity taste, and long-lasting foam.

"As far as I drink the wine here, it's a very good wine. It's a very tasty wine. A lot of romance inside. So I like to drink the Chinese one," said Peter Klinger from Austria of the estate's fruit wine.

Giardino Estate plans to begin deep-processing and expanding its production to provide more high-quality products for an increasing numbers of domestic consumers.

The company currently has an annual production capacity of 6,000 tons of wine, and after the completion of the second phase of construction, it is expected to have an annual production capacity of up to 20,000 tons.

Two foreigners enjoy a cozy afternoon at Giardino Estate. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]