Aussie winemaker wins Ningxia challenge

An Australian winemaker has emerged victorious from an international group of vintners invited to try their hand at making wine in the Chinese region of Ningxia.

Ningxia winemakers challenge back from left Carl van der Merwe, Eleni Papadakis, David Tyney front from left Penny Jones, Benoit Beigner

David Tyney’s red and white wines triumphed after a competition lasting two years.

In 2012 winemakers were invited to apply to make wine in one of the world’s newest wine regions as part of a project to promote Ningxia.

Of the 50 original applicants, only seven were selected to visit Ningxia to make the wines: Benoit Beigner (France), Jose Hernandez Gonzalez (Spain), Penny Jones (Australia), Patricia Miranda (Chile / New Zealand), Eleni Papadakis (United States), David Tyney (Australia) and Carl van der Merwe (South Africa).

All seven having made a red wine in 2012, only three were invited back to make white wines in 2013 (Tyney, Gonzalez and Beigner).

All of the wines were judged by a panel of six, China-based win experts who praised the overall quality of the wines and how distinct each was despite all being made with wines from the same plot.

The results were announced last weekend in Ningxia’s regional capital, Yinchuan, with Tyney’s red and white wines being judged the best overall.