IT took only 12 years for Chateau Huadong to become China’s top wine brand from a regional product.

    In 1982, Englishman Perry settled down at Jiulongpo, Laoshan Mountain, to create his dreamland of wine-making after three years of looking around China, establishing Chateau Huadong-Perry. About 23 years later, owner of the chateau, Zhang Zhengxin, built the Huadong-Chateau Knight in Penglai. The two chateaus both became well-known throughout the Jiaodong area.

    Perry Wine was China’s first European-style chateau. There are more than 100 varieties of precious grapes growing in the surrounding vineyards. Its grapes are cultivated by specialist farmers, which helps to give Huadong wine its unique taste.

    The Huadong wine has also won many international awards, including VINEXPO’s silver award (no gold award was handed out) in France in 1987 and the gold award in a wine-tasting competition held in Belgium in 1989 and 1998. Since then, it has become the only Chinese wine to enter the World Wine Encyclopedia, representing the top level.

    Aside from producing wine, the company has also focused on promoting wine culture to serve high-end groups since 1999. In 2000, Zhang developed the first bottle of Chinese wine worth more than 100 yuan, becoming China’s first brand in the high-end wine market. Its flagship shop and clubs have also become gatherings of China’s best wines and rich wine culture.

    “Our target is to make China’s best wine. It is very difficult for Chinese winemakers to tap fine wine market, but we have tried out best and won recognition from consumers,” Zhang said. (Wang Yuanyuan)