Grace Vineyard releases People’s Series

Shanxi-based Grace Vineyard has launched a duo of wines in tribute to the people of China.

Grace Vineyard’s People’s Series

According to wine blog Grape Wall of China, People’s Series, comprising a 2011 Cabernet and a 2011 Chardonnay, features Chinese workers, farmers and students on its cartoon-like label.

The grapes for People’s Cabernet were selected from plots near Mount Helan in Ningxia grown at 1,100 meters altitude by local farmers from the Qing Tong Xia region.

The Chardonnay meanwhile, comes from the Shanxi region where Grace is based.

The wines are to be distributed in the country by Torres China with an rrp of 99 Yuan (£10.50) per bottle. There are also plans to export them in the near future.

“People’s Series will appeal to a young crowd of new consumers in primary cities, with a packaging and a style that can satisfy their aspirations and demand for easy-drinking domestically produced wines,” said Alberto Fernandez, managing partner of Torres China, who came up with the idea for the wines.

“Alberto had the idea of us doing a fun wine, which I thought was brilliant as people sometimes are too serious about wine,” Grace Vineyard’s CEO Judy Leissner told Grape Wall of China.

“I discussed the idea with our technical director, Lee Yean Yean, who got to work making an easy going, approaching style, while Alberto got on with the design,” she added.

Leissner took over the 200 hectare Grace Vineyard from her father in 2002 aged just 24.

Since then, she has turned the estate into both a globally recognised brand and a flagship for Chinese fine wine.

Grace produces around two million bottles a year, from flagship red blend Deep Blue to top wine Chairman’s Reserve.