After four years of searching across China to find the ideal terroir to produce a red wine worthy of comparison with the world’s greatest wines, the perfect site was found in the north of the Yunnan province. Situated on the banks of the Mekong River, the region harbors fabulous potential for producing wine, a remote little corner of paradise nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, not far from the legendary city of Shangri-La. Located in the villages of Adong, Xidang, Sinong and Shuori at the foot of the sacred Meili mountain, Ao Yun vineyards range in altitude from 2,200 to 2,600 meters, enabling the cabernet sauvignon grape to express the full refinement of this unique terroir. Local farmers have worked these lands for centuries, adapting their farming techniques to the steep mountainsides. To respect time-honored local tradition, the grape harvest and winemaking are done entirely by hand. The Ao Yun terroir enjoys exceptional climatic conditions, with temperatures similar to those of Bordeaux. Ao Yun means “flying above the clouds”, a reference to the clouds that cap the summits of the surrounding mountain chains.
Produced from 314 plots totaling nearly 28 hectares (75 acres) of vineyards, the Ao Yun 2017 vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot and for the 1st time Merlot. The 2017 vintage is a concentrated, fresh and velvety expression of the Ao Yun wine produced in this Himalayan terroir.
