Jia Bei Lan's Story: China's pride from the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain
Sep 24, 2025
In September 2011, a global wine spotlight fell on London, and quietly rewrote the story of Chinese wine. Helan Qingxue Winery from Ningxia won the top honor at the Decanter World Wine Awards with its 2009 Jia Bei Lan, the first time a Chinese wine reached that pinnacle. It wasn’t just a trophy; it was a key that unlocked fresh respect for Ningxia’s terroir and reshaped how the world talks about wine from China.
Founding story: grit before glory
Helan Qingxue was founded in 2005 by three partners - Rong Jian, Wang Fengyu, and Zhang Jing, its name inspired by “Helan Snow in Sunshine,” one of Ningxia’s classical Eight Scenic Views, symbolizing both landscape and conviction. The early days were anything but easy: limited funds, no formal winemaking pedigree, and a rough starting environment. But the team shared a stubborn question worth proving, could China truly craft wines of world-class caliber? With local scientific support, they began in Quanqigou as a demonstration vineyard, learning by doing. In year one, Zhang Jing was sent for hands-on training, and Professor Li Demei was invited as consulting oenologist, the decisions that quietly laid the foundation for consistent quality.
Terroir DNA: dry air, bright sun, clean lines
The eastern foothills of Helan Mountain sit around the 38th parallel, a “golden belt” for winegrowing marked by a continental climate: abundant sunshine and strong diurnal shifts that deliver ripeness without losing acidity, keeping aroma and structure in vivid balance. Low rainfall and dry air reduce disease pressure, supporting healthy ripening and precise harvest timing. Soils are dominated by calcareous, gravelly profiles with excellent drainage and aeration; roots drive deep, and wines often carry a lucid mineral thread. Reliance on the Yellow River irrigation system adds water control without bloating fruit, resulting in a style that feels clean, restrained, and expressive.
In the glass: Bordeaux bones, Chinese context
Jia Bei Lan is typically a Bordeaux-inspired blend: Cabernet Sauvignon provides the spine, Merlot polishes the mid-palate, and Longyan (often called “Cabernet Gernischt”/Marselan variants in broader Chinese contexts, but here a local touch) adds spice and structure. In the glass, the color is deep garnet. Aromas open with blackcurrant, black cherry, and dark berries; with air, notes of licorice, dark chocolate, cigar box, and toast emerge. On the palate, tannins are fine yet firm, acidity runs straight and true, and the finish carries a mineral-spice lift, patient, poised, and cellar-worthy. The 2009 vintage made history and still shines in vertical tastings; intriguingly, 2013 has been praised by experts as an “absolute winner,” marrying ripe fruit with elegant oak integration - powerful yet polished.
A bottle that moved an industry
Jia Bei Lan’s international recognition became a confidence boost for Ningxia and the broader Chinese wine sector. In its wake, the Helan Mountain East appellation established a distinctive chateau classification system, and key metrics, from vineyard acreage to international medals - have climbed steadily. More producers have stepped onto global stages, and Ningxia has grown into China’s most internationally recognizable wine region. Today, “Helan Mountain East” is more than a map point, it’s a quality language: scale with precision, terroir-first thinking, and the composure to stand on the world stage.
At the table: bring terroir into the everyday
For younger vintages, decant for 45–90 minutes to open fruit and spice. Pair with moderately fatty beef or lamb, mushroom stews, or Chinese dishes with a smoky element for a harmonious play of texture and aroma. With patience, cellaring at 12–14°C and about 70% humidity for several years deepens detail and grace, that slow shift from fruit-forward charm to an elegant, nuanced voice.
Some say that, here, the wine world "saw China." Jia Bei Lan’s story is still being written, one conversation with terroir, one showdown on the international stage. It stays disciplined, gathers strength, and when the cork gently lifts, what rises isn’t just a wine, but a chapter in China’s evolving flavor journey.
