Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Chateau Helan Quingxue – Winner of 2011 Decanter International Trophy, Ningxia, China

(Dec. 2013) - The next afternoon we visited Chateau Helan Quingxue which is housed in a more modest structure of red brick and reminded me of a combination of Soviet and Chinese architecture. Inside there is a modern winery with stainless steel tanks, a small barrel room, and a very large visitor’s center. Though not finished yet, this part of the winery is designed to showcase all of the wines of Ningxia so that visitors can taste all of the brands in one location. We were greeted with much enthusiasm by the petite and vivacious winemaker, Zhang Jing. She speaks [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:05:54-07:00January 2, 2014|

Chateau Yuanshi Winery – Luxurious Stone Winery Designed with Local Chinese Desert Architecture, Ningxia

(Dec. 2013) - This winery is massive and very impressive as you approach and see the tall stone walls designed in the traditional Chinese fortress style of the region. It includes pathways paved in native stone and breath-taking art sculptures designed of wood and petrified rock. The owner is a very gracious Chinese woman who has hired a French winemaker from Bordeaux to produce some excellent local cabernet sauvignon. Production is around 150,000 bottles (12,500 cases). The winemaking facility is state of the art, with new stainless steel fermenters, and top of the line basket press. Hundreds of French oak [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:05:55-07:00January 1, 2014|

Yuange Winery – Modern Chinese Architecture With Ice-Covered Pond and Geese, Ningxia

(Dec. 2013) - The first winery we visited was Yaunge, which is owned by a woman with a female winemaker. (NOTE: Many Chinese women seem to be involved in the wine business here, and have the roles of owner, general manager, or winemaker). The architecture is modern Chinese with large brick walls made of native stones and artwork that includes beautiful statues carved from native wood. The winery is is situated on the edge of a pond, which was covered with ice when we visited. A curved bridge allows you to walk across the pond to the vineyards, which were [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:05:55-07:00December 30, 2013|

Photos of Winery Architecture in the Ningxia Wine Region of China

(Dec. 2013) On my second trip to the Ningxia wine region of China, I was able to visit six additional wineries and drive past many others along the new Ningxia wine route. Presently they have 100 different wineries with a lofty goal to reach 1000 in the next decade. What surprised me the most was the different types of architecture used for the wineries. They ranged from traditional and modern Chinese, to French Chateau, Industrial and Urban Ghetto. Quite Fascinating. Following are some photos of these wineries. Chateau Bacchus (Photo by L. Thach) Xixia King Winery (Photo by L. Thach) [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:05:56-07:00December 21, 2013|

A Snapshot of Wineries and Vineyards in the Ningxia Wine Region of China

(Dec. 10, 2013) According to our host, Mr. Cao, Ningxia now has over 100 wineries, with a plan to grow to over 1000 in the next decade. I visited 6 wineries on this trip as part of the conference, in which we lectured on best practices in wine tourism in the morning and visited local wineries in the afternoon. Each of these wineries is described in more detail in other posts. Vineyard Acres in Ningxia Now Equal Approximately 57,500 Acres We were informed that Ningxia now has 300,000 to 400,000 mu of planted vineyards. A mu is the term for [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:05:56-07:00December 21, 2013|

Second Visit to Ningxia Wine Region of China

(Dec. 9, 2013) Though the weather temperature averaged 32 degrees Fahrenheit (F) during the day with lows around 8F at night, my most recent trip to Yinchuan was filled with warm hospitality and many positive experiences. Yinchuan is the capital city of the Ningxia wine region, and a two hour flight West of Beijing. The local government had decided to host a 5-day wine tourism conference and invited me and two other colleagues, Larry from Australia and Damien from France, to speak. I flew from San Francisco to Beijing, and was met at the airport by my good friend, Qin, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:05:56-07:00December 21, 2013|

SSU Students Love Turley and Miraflores Zinfandels at ZAP Tasting

Rebecca Robinson of Zap with Ray Johnson The SSU WineSense Club was thrilled to have Rebecca Robinson, Executive Director of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP), conduct the most recent tasting. Rebecca regaled the students with the history of ZAP and shared fascinating information about the Zinfandel grape. Fun Facts About Zinfandel The grape is originally from Croatia where it is called Crljenak Kaštelanski Also quite famous in the Puglia region of Italy where it is known as Primativo Brought to America in the 1800’s Zinfandel Grapes Planted throughout the Sierra Foothills, Napa, Sonoma, Lodi, Paso Robles, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:32:18-08:00October 25, 2013|

Schug Winery Kicks Off SSU Wine Sense Club Tasting for Fall 2013

Harrison from Schug Winery By Guest Author Dominique Levenberg. There was excitement in the room for the first Sonoma State University Wine Sense Club meeting of the Fall 2013 semester. Harrison from Schug Carneros Estate Winery was a hit with the 38 students who enjoyed tasting five different wines paired with cheese, meats, and crackers. Favorite Schug Wines The line-up included Schug’s sparkling Pinot, a Chardonnay, two different Pinots from the Sonoma Coast and Carneros appellations, and a Cabernet Sauvignon. At the end of the tasting, everyone voted for their two favorite. The winners were the 2012 Schug Chardonnay [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:32:35-08:00September 19, 2013|

How Many Wineries Are There in the United Kingdom Now?

Though I’ve visited the UK more than 15 times, including a semester abroad at Oxford during my junior year at university, I still haven’t had a chance to visit any of the British wineries. Such a trip is definitely on my bucket list. Believe it or not, there are now 124 wineries in the UK! In the meantime, I was fortunate enough to have Joe Towner, who is assisting in promoting the UK wine industry, contact me about a new information source for wine lovers – a guide to UK wine. It is available at the following link and includes [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:40:50-08:00August 30, 2013|

What are the Major Cool and Warm Climate Grape Varietals?

Cool climate Riesling grapes By Guest Author, Sumun Rahim - Any wine lover who has studied the French concept of "terroir" knows that the same grape varietal can produce vastly different wine depending on what type of soil and in what climate it's grown. Some wines do best in cool, even cold, climates; others are better-suited to warm, sunny weather. Knowing which wines thrive in which climates can help you enjoy local wine more fully when you travel as well as be a guide to help you choose from the selection available at the average wine store. Below is a [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-05T14:30:53-08:00August 29, 2013|

Wines of Quebec and the Exquisite Vandal Cliché Grape

This past week I attended a French Immersion class in Quebec City, Canada and stayed with a local family to insure I was “immersed” in the French language. It was a very pleasant experience, and I had the opportunity to visit several wineries and taste wines made from the unique Vandal Cliché grape, which was developed at Laval University in Quebec. Quick Facts on Canadian and Quebec Wine There are over 600 wineries in Canada, with the majority clustered in the Niagara Peninsula area of Ontario and the sunny lake region of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. However, Quebec [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:41:13-08:00August 6, 2013|

Excellent Tour and Tasting at Henriques & Henriques Winery on Island of Madeira

(June 2013) - We arrived at the aging cellars of Henriques & Henriques Winery around 12:30 and spent a delightful two hours exploring the barrel rooms and tasting more than 20 amazing Madeira wines. Though the still wine is fermented elsewhere on the island, the historic cellars are located in Camara de Lobos, a suburb of Funchal near the ocean. Currently the 3rd largest producer on the island, and the only winery to own 11.5 hectares of vineyards (28.6 acres), Henriques & Henriques was founded in 1850 by Joao Joachim Henriques, but today is co-owned by CEO Humberto Jardim and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:41:40-08:00July 3, 2013|

Operations Tour and Tasting at Barbeito Winery, Island of Madeira, Portugal

June 2013 - Our appointment to visit Barbeito Winery was scheduled for 10:30am, and Paulo drove his SUV expertly around the many twists and turns on the narrow road to the hilltop location. The CEO and winemaker, Ricardo, greeted us and we started the tour at the grape reception platform. As the tour progressed, we became more and more impressed with Ricardo’s energy, passion, and innovative spirit. Barbeito produces around 170,000 liters of wine per year (around 19,000 cases), including a variety of third-party labels such as the famous Historic Series. Ricardo said they purchase all of their grapes from [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:43:57-08:00July 3, 2013|

Three Days in Madeira – Not Enough Time

In June I was fortunate enough to spend three days in Madeira – well, really 2.5 days because our plane landed at 1pm on Monday and we had to be at the airport to leave at 1pm on Wednesday. Madeira, a wine island in the middle of the Atlantic off the coast of Morocco, and owned by Portugal, is a place I’ve always dreamed of visiting. Now I’ve decided I must go back sometime and spend at least a week on this enchanted isle. Flying to Madeira from Lisbon My friend Lupe and I flew from Lisbon on TAP Air [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:44:15-08:00June 28, 2013|

Pairing Madeira Wines with Food – Amazing 5 Course Meal at Chalet Vincente in Funchal

(June 11, 2013) - We enjoyed a 3.5 hour lunch at Chalet Vincente, a charming restaurant near the ocean in Madeira’s main city of Funchal. The menu was impressive, custom ordered in advance, and served with both Madeira fortified and still wines which accompanied traditional Madeira dishes. Appetizer: 5 year old H&H Sercial with Marinated Octopus and “Bolo do Caco” (Madeira Bread, unleavened with garlic) First Course: 5 year old Barbeito Verdehlo with Tuna simmered in a Tomato & Onion Sauce Second Course: Still Verdelho Wine Terras do Avô with "Espada Preta" (Black Scabbard Fish) lightly battered in a local [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-19T00:08:53-08:00June 13, 2013|

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