What wines are served at China’s state dinners?

The common myth is that Baijiu is the go-to alcoholic beverage served at China’s state dinners. In fact back in 1984, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced a rule and banned high alcoholic spirits at state dinners, ushering in a new era for domestically produced wines, reportedly after US president (and wine lover) Richard Nixon joked that, “China lacks wines and fashionable women” during his landmark state visit in 1972.

US President Richard Nixon, right, and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai eat a banquet in Shanghai, during the former’s state visit in 1972. His jibe that the Chinese lacked good wine ushered in a new era for domestic wines being served at state dinners.

Wines at high-level state banquets are opportunities for presidents and monarchs to show off their country’s most prized bottles while honouring and impressing visiting politicians and dignitaries.

First growth Bordeaux and top Burgundy often features at state dinners in France and the UK while more recent US presidents have been known to favour popping bottles Schramsberg sparkling and other American names.

But for China, a country that is not known as a quality wine producing powerhouse, what are the wines usually drunk at state banquets?

Here’s a rundown of some Chinese wines served at state dinners over the years from state visit by Ronald Reagan in 1984 to most recent G20 Summit in 2016.

Great Wall wines 

Great wines served at G20 Summit (Photo credit: Tjkx.com)

Great Wall winery, owned by COFCO China’s biggest importer and exporter of food and agricultural products, is a frequent sponsor for state dinners. One of the first recognised wineries in China, it produced the country’s first dry white in 1979 and red wine in 1984 after its own independent research and development programme.

After the 1984 ban on spirits at state dinners, Great Wall has been the de-facto “state wine”. The winery’s flagship label from the ‘Château Sun God’ range was served during Ronald Reagan’s visit in 1984 and Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 1986.

Most recently, it was served to over 100 state heads and diplomats at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as well as the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

Great Wall’s ‘Five Star’ range was also served at the G20 Summit held in Hangzhou in 2016 during a lunch banquet which included its 2010 red and 2011 white.

Changyu Pioneer

Chateau Changyu AFIP Global Chardonnay

China’s oldest winery, Changyu is one of the biggest wine producers in China along with Great Wall. Although not an official sponsor of G20 Summit, its Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 and Chardonnay 2012 from the winery’s Beijing-based Chateau Changyu AFIP Global were selected as dinner wines for the summit.

Another Changyu red, Changyu Century Wine Cellar Reserve, was poured for former British prime minister David Cameron and Russian premier Vladimir Putin during their state visits. Based on figures estimated by Wine Business Observation, from 2009 till 2016, Changyu wines were reportedly served 38 times at state banquets, making it the most frequently used Chinese state dinner wine.

Silver Heights

The rising boutique winery in Ningxia was put on centre stage when it was chosen as the designated wine for a state dinner hosted by premier Li Keqiang for German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the G20 Summit. The pick, a rare departure from Great Wall or Changyu, was hailed by Chinese media as a “reformed philosophy” on state dinner wines and “a new benchmark” for state dinners.

The two wines served were Sliver Heights Family Reserve Chardonnay 2014 and Silver Heights The Summit 2013.