I have tasted approximately 150 Chinese wines in recent weeks, the majority of them reds, but it was a chardonnay from a remote and challenging terroir in China that left an indelible impression on me. Emerging from the dizzying heights of Shangri-La in the southwestern part of the country, the Xiao Ling Chardonnay Shangri-La Hong Po 霄岭红坡霞多丽 2021 is a revelation from this remarkable area and quite possibly the finest chardonnay I’ve encountered from China.
Although Xiao Ling is a relatively young winery, with its first vintage from 2014, it has already gained recognition for the Burgundian sensibility of its red wines, which are primarily based on cabernet sauvignon. These wines often exhibit a delightful crunchiness and mouth-watering succulence, and are among the purest, most ethereal and acid-driven expressions of cabernet sauvignon I have come across. While the influence of oak in their red wines has gradually receded in recent vintages, their 2021 chardonnays – only the second vintage – showcase a nice presence of new oak, resulting in wines that bear a striking resemblance to a fine Burgundy, marked by compact flavor concentration, tension and flinty salinity.
According to winemaker Feng Jian, the 2021 Hong Po revealed the full potential of Xiao Ling’s extreme 2,650-meter terroir. The grapes underwent light foot-treading with overnight skin contact, followed by a 36-hour process of oxidating the must before filtering out the solids. It was then fermented and aged in a puncheon and new Burgundy barrel, with one-third of the wine undergoing malolactic fermentation. The result was a chardonnay boasting profound depth, complexity, and substance, unmarred by an initially apparent creamy new oak influence reminiscent of roasted white sesame, popcorn and nougat. It is salty, mineral and taut with beautiful acidity and incredible intensity, all melded into a long, creamy finish.
Despite some heavy rainfall in June, Feng said that 2021 was relatively dry overall. But 2022, he said, was “an easy, perfect vintage” where “you didn’t need to be a genius to make good wines.” As I savored the Hong Po 2021 in my glass (and almost finished the whole bottle), I applauded Xiao Ling for delivering on the promise of high-altitude chardonnay, and look forward to the possibilities for the next vintage.
– Zekun Shuai, Senior Editor
