Silver Heights
Ningxia, China
Established by a father-and-daughter duo who believed in the untapped winemaking potential of their native Ningxia, Silver Heights makes for a curious case study. In 2007, its facilities comprised nothing more than a single tank in a concrete-walled cellar – however, despite the humblest of beginnings, The Summit, Silver Heights' Bordeaux-style red blend, and Family Reserve, its flagship cabernet sauvignon, quickly became standard-bearers for Ningxia's emergence as a serious wine region. When you learn more about the Helan foothills' unforgiving terroir, the story becomes even more remarkable. This arid, desert-like landscape's climate swings dramatically from sun-soaked summers to brutally, bitterly cold winters, when the vines must be bent towards the earth and buried to ensure they survive. Visitors can learn more about the extreme mountain environment and the Gao family's biodynamic practices on a selection of guided tours, taking in a modern set of cave-like cellars and a sleek, glass-walled tasting room set high above the vineyards.
Key Information
- Opening times: Visits by prior arrangement
- Signature wine: The Summit
- Wines produced: Red, white, rosé, orange and sparkling
- Grape varieties: Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet gernischt, chardonnay, pinot noir, marselan, syrah, sangiovese
- Time from airport: 1 hour 15 mins from Yinchuan Hedong International Airport
- Visit Silver Heights's website
Location
Eastern slopes of Helan Mountains, Ningxia,
