Spread the word, China is trying somehow to make wine - and for the moment more badly than good —. The country has quickly become the 5th largest wine consumer in the world, and 1st market for red wine, the 8th producer and 2nd vineyard in the world. It's simple, China is now the growth engine for the sector and it is difficult to do without.
The problem, China is failing to produce quality wine, and global warming will not make it easier for them. Therefore, they had the crazy idea of sending vines into space.
The vine catapulted into space…
It almost feels like a sci-fi movie, but it's still real. The 15 last september, the chinese space laboratory, Tiangong-2 — soberly called "heavenly palace" —, took off with cabernet sauvignon on board, merlot and pinot noir.
"Chinese scientists hope that growing wine in space" might make them "more suited to the harsh climate of emerging wine regions in China", Explain, the site continues, the DecanterChina.com website. A key objective : make them more resistant against the cold, viruses and diseases.
… to become a mutant vine
Hoping that the vine does not become like Audrey II in the film "The little shop of horrors" by 1986, China intends to obtain mutant vines. Specialists consider that space radiation, ionizing radiation faced by astronauts on their travels in space, could cause a genetic mutation. Transformed into an otherwise more resistant vine, these plants would then resist better "to the cold, to drought and viruses ”.
Wine-growing China enters 40 ° C in summer and – 30 ° C winter
In northern China, the Ningxia region has strongly developed its wine production for fifteen years. The French companies Pernod-Ricard and Moët Hennessy have largely invested in farms in the region where temperatures drop from 40 ° C in summer -30 ° C winter. But growing grapes in this region is particularly expensive., because winegrowers must bury the vines in winter to protect them from the cold, an operation that requires labor.
The Middle Empire also produces wine in the frozen Liaoning Province, to North-east, as well as in the deserts of Xinjiang, in the North West. The country became in 2014 the second largest vineyard in the world in terms of area, in front of Spain, although it should be noted that it is only the eighth largest producer in the world.
Some specialists believe that we will have to wait 5 to 10 years before China could produce great wines. But space experiments could accelerate the movement.
A little story to finish…
This news reminds me of a little joke that gave me the idea for the title :
A new baker takes up residence in a main street in his town. Not knowing what to write on his shop sign, he goes for a walk to see what is written on the 4 competing bakeries.
On the sign of the first bakery, we can read : "The best bakery in town". Our baker continues on his way.
On the second bakery, it is written : “The best bakery in the area”.
On the third, the boss has registered : “The best bakery in the country”.
And finally, on the fourth, the baker wrote : “The best bakery in the world”.
Our baker goes home to think… Suddenly, he has an idea ! Quick, he goes out to hang his sign. And above, he wrote : “The best bakery on the street” !
Jean-Nicolas Moruetin
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