"Marselan wine, known for its bright color, fresh aroma, and juicy and sweet taste, is a natural fit for Chinese consumers." Recently, during the first "Marselan Selection by CMB", Professor Demei LI from Beijing University of Agriculture (BUA) told reporters that Marselan would be very suitable for Ningxia, presenting great potential.

The wine grape of Marselan, originating in France, is a grape variety cross-bred from Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache Noir by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) in 1961. In 2001, recommended by the French Ministry of Agriculture, the variety was introduced into the Domaine Franco-Chinois in Huailai County of Hebei Province, China. Demei LI, the chief winemaker of Domaine Franco-Chinois then, led the introduction and brewing of the variety. It is gratifying that, once "taking root" in China, Marselan soon received widespread praises from industry insiders for its superior quality, and drew extensive attention from the industry.

Since 2005, Marselan has been successively planted in the wine-producing areas of Ningxia, including the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains. "In recent years, Marselan has received high attention. Experts in this contest have especially mentioned about several features of Marselan in cultivation, such as good disease resistance, strong flowering ability, and rich accumulation of phenolic substances. In terms of technical indicators, the strong flowering and fruiting abilities of Marselan make it very suitable for Ningxia, a region with a relatively high probability of late spring coldness. Marselan can produce a satisfactory yield even in years affected by late frost", Demei LI introduced.

In the past three decades, China has been exploring representative wine grape varieties with Chinese characteristics, including Long Yan, Riesling, and Cabernet Gernischt. However, there has been no general agreement on which one can represent Chinese wine grape varieties. However, judging from the results of all kinds of world wine contests held in recent years, the single and mixed fermentations of Marselan, represented by those produced in Ningxia, have emerged as frequent winners of grand gold and gold prizes in red wine series contests. By virtue of its rich floral and fruity aroma, deep color, and balanced moisturizing sweetness, Ningxia Marselan wine is becoming synonymous with high-quality domestic wine. At present, the Marselan wine-making vineyards in Ningxia have collectively occupied nearly 42,000 mu, accounting for above 65% of the total planting area of Marselan in China. Marselan is grown in almost every winery in Ningxia, and the Marselan sub-varieties grown in different small wine-producing areas have exhibited a local characteristic of "harmony in diversity".

Since his initial contact with Marselan, Demei LI has harbored the hope that it would one day shine on the world stage. As a judge in this contest, he noted that Marselan wine had frequently won prizes in international wine contests, attracting the attention of professionals and consumers all over the world. The variety of Marselan is increasingly showing its extensive adaptability and excellent brewing characteristics, and is likely to become a special wine variety in China in the future. Wineries should seize the favorable situation to seek differentiated development, create unique styles, and develop irreplaceable products.

In recent years, Marselan wine has gained increasing attention in the Chinese and international markets. It is worth noting that the judges of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) all showed great interest in Ningxia Marselan. The judges suggested that, if a themed contest centered on a single variety of Marselan were to be held in China, Ningxia would no doubt be the first choice. After cautious voting within the organizing committee, Ningxia was selected as the host city of the first "Marselan Selection by CMB", where the contest was successfully held. A total of 67 prizes were presented in this contest, including three grand gold prizes, 26 gold prizes, and 38 silver prizes. The wine-producing area at the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in Ningxia lived up to expectations, winning one grand gold prize, 17 gold prizes, and 21 silver prizes. (Reporter Wang Ying from Ningxia News Network/Article/Photo)