2019 Chateau Changyu Moser XV Cabernet Sauvignon

The Chateau Changyu Moser XV (张裕摩塞尔十五世酒庄) Cabernet Sauvignon is made by Lenz M. Moser - the chief winemaker Chateau Changyu Moser XV who spends the entire harvest period in Ningxia. The wine is also bottled Mise en bouteille au château / Estate Bottled.

This Changyu Moser XV Cabernet Sauvignion is the TROISIÈME VIN of the château - unique from Ningxia and unique from China, and a revolution in terms of quality / price ratio. About this wine, Jancis Robinson MW told Lenz M. Moser in 2016: "This is the most important wine in your portfolio - it will reach many consumers around the world and create awareness for wines from China." so this is definitely the sign of this "very affordable" wine from Chateau Changyu Moser XV.

2017 was a great year in Ningxia and the cabernet grapes come from Vines between 15 - 20 years old. The wine has not been aged in wood because the fruit must dominate and that is very special with the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Ningxia because the small berries give a lot of extraction (about 25% more than with European Cabernet Sauvignon grapes); Due to the extremely dry climate, high altitude and large difference between day and night temperatures, the skin-to-juice ratio produces more solids in the wine - thus also a unique concentration of fruit flavors.

In the glass the wine has a nice fresh ruby red color. In the nose mainly fresh red fruit such as raspberry and cherry with notes of some forest floor, espresso and a little leather. Fresh, elegant and fruity on the palate and especially fruit dominated. A very pleasant glass.

MOSER XV Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 goes well with red meat, game, Italian pasta dishes and hard cheese. Also try more exotic foods, such as lighter Chinese dishes and other Asian dishes.

There are currently about 900 wineries in China (compared to Australia: 2,000 - US: 7,100 - France: 27,000 - Austria: 6,500 - Germany: 6,500). Nearly 800,000 hectares are planted with vines, making China the sixth largest wine-producing country by area, producing approximately 13 million hectoliters of wine per year.

Ningxia is located about 1,330 kilometers west of Beijing. It is located in Central West China on the edge of the Gobi Desert and feeds on the Yellow River which originates in the clean and natural Tibetan Plateau. With the aridity of the land and longer hours of sunlight than usual during the growing season (about 3,000 - compared to the 2,052 hour average of Bordeaux), the berries are allowed to fully ripen, developing a full fruit character. The grapes have ideal growing conditions in the Helan Mountains, at 1100 meters above sea level. The altitude and the desert with its hot daytime temperatures and cold nights help the wines maintain their freshness and this is why Chinese wines from this region are on the rise.