Expats explore wine culture in Yantai

A group of foreigners from countries including the United States, Russia and Mongolia embarked on a trip to Yantai from June 15 to 17 and experienced the city's beauty, food and culture.

Foreigners pose for a photo during their visit to Yantai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The event was aimed at showing why Yantai is dubbed an "International Grape and Wine City" and promoting the cultural and industrial development of Yantai's grape and wine industry.

The group toured the Bajiaowan International Convention and Exhibition Center located in the Huang-Bohai New Area of Yantai and learned about Yantai's rich wine and grape culture at the exhibition halls of the 13th Yantai International Wine Expo.

One of the most influential wine industry exhibitions in China, the expo attracted more than 200 guests and over 10,000 buyers from around the world. During the expo, over 20,000 types of wine were showcased and more than 10 high-level professional forums and wine evaluation activities were held.

Expats pose for a photo at the hosting venue of the 13th Yantai International Wine Expo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The foreigners also visited Chateau Tinlot. Sabrina Christine Valles, an internet influencer from the US, said that the unique terroir and complex production process have allowed the chateau to produce excellent wines.

The foreign visitors said they were impressed by the three high-level chateaus built by Changyu Group, China's oldest maker of wine and brandy. They also spoke highly of Yantai's natural terroir and exquisite brewing technology.

Balbashova Victoria from Russia said that Yantai's grape wine culture is as profound as Chinese culture.

The only "International Grape and Wine City" in Asia and the seventh largest wine coast in the world, Yantai is renowned for its integrated development of the wine and tourism sectors.

Yantai currently has 204 wine production enterprises and 63 well-known chateaus. As of 2022, the output of the city's scale wine enterprises accounted for 30 percent of the country's total.

The city now has several wine tourist attractions that receive more than 3 million visitors annually, according to Jiang Yingsong, director of the Yantai Wine Industry Development Service Center.

Jose Antonio Vidal, president of the Global Wine Tourism Organization (GWTO), delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 13th Yantai International Wine Expo. He said that China and Yantai have over the past three years made efforts to preserve traditions and promote the innovative development of the wine industry. He also spoke highly of Yantai's efforts in deepening cooperation with the GWTO to accelerate the integrated development of its wine industry and the local culture and tourism sector.

Yantai is located on the eastern coast of Shandong. It is one of the first coastal cities in China to be open to the outside world. In addition to wine, the city also boasts beautiful coastal scenery and abundant seafood resources, and attracts numerous tourists every year.

Expats visit Domaine de Long Dai in Yantai, which was built by renowned French winemaker Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Expats visit the "Genghai No 1" marine ranch complex, a large-scale fish farm that offers sightseeing, fishing, catering, and accommodation. It receives more than 150,000 tourists per year. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]