ワインが香る　シルクロードの古都

　今回、旅の筆者が訪れた寧夏（ニンシャ）は、中国内陸部にある自治区のひとつ。シルクロードの中継地で、すぐ近くに万里の長城が築かれるなど、異国との最前線として栄えてきました。歴史ファンの間では、井上靖さんの歴史小説『敦煌』の舞台、西夏（シーシャ）王国が生まれた土地として知られています。

　西夏は11世紀にチベット系のタングート族が興し、首都は現在の銀川（インチュアン）に置かれました。チンギス・ハーンの軍勢に滅ぼされるまで200年ほどしか存在しませんでしたが、独特の西夏文字を使い、高度な技術で印刷した仏典など、おびただしい数の仏教遺産が今に伝えられています。

　現在の寧夏は人口約640万人。回族と呼ばれるイスラム教徒が３分の１を占め、街中には中国語で「清真寺」と書かれるモスクが点在しています。

　歴史ロマンがあふれるこの地域に降り立った筆者ですが、そのお目当ては名物のワインでした。

　中国ではいくつもの銘柄のワインが生産されていますが、筆者は「寧夏産は段違いに上質」と、太鼓判を押します。理由のひとつに、乾燥した気候や豊かな土壌があげられます。銀川と内モンゴルを隔てる賀蘭山脈のふもとに広がる畑は寒暖の差が激しく、糖度の高いブドウができると言われています。

　筆者が取材したシルバーハイツの女性醸造家はフランスのボルドーでワイン作りを学び、現地のシャトーで修行を重ねました。帰郷してから手がけたワインは、今や北京の高級ホテルでも供されるほど有名になり、中国国内でも入手が困難だとか。日本ではまだ知る人ぞ知る、といった存在ですが、いつか一口味わってみたいものです。（厚）

　In a darkened cellar, oak barrels on either side, Emma Gao reaches over to pick out a bottle from a rack in the wall. Though the household is near frantic with preparations for harvest tomorrow, Emma's keen to show off their ample cellar.

　"This is our premier quality wine, Silver Heights Summit, aged in French oak," she says, dusting off the label, "Would you like to try some?" Moments before I'd been admiring the Gao's Yinchuan family home and vineyard with its incongruous backdrop of high-rise condominiums, now I'm sampling one of China's best wines.

　In off-the-beaten-track Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, north central China, grain crops and sheep have been the region's economic backbone. Its arid climate, high altitude and rugged terrain limit the arable possibilities for the People's Republic's third poorest province, but recent developments in the local wine industry are injecting money into the economy.

　Separated from the Mongolian steppe and Gobi desert by the rugged Helan Shan mountains, Yinchuan, Ningxia's capital, lies on the banks of the Yellow River. Making the most of the fertile flood plains, local farmers who once grew melons, berries and vegetables are fast adapting their skills to tending vineyards.

　Walking around the city, small and unremarkable by Chinese standards, there's no suggestion that it could be seen as one of the country's wine centers. Historically Yinchuan formed part of the old trade route bridging Urumuqi in the far west and Beijing in the east. This fact is reflected in the faces of its people: the Muslim Hui minority makes up a third of the city's population.

　China's modern wine industry started to take off just more than a decade ago, at the same time a new affluence spread across the country.

　Wineries now stretch west to east from Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Ningxia, Beijing and Shandong, where the Yintai region has become the country's largest wine producer.

　Until now much of the emphasis has been placed on selling domestically to relatively unsophisticated consumers. The largest wineries - Great Wall, Dynasty and Changyu - have become big on output, but low on quality.

　As with many things in China, quality now goes alongside quantity. Wines are fast improving, and it's the small wineries that are paving the way, the family run Silver Heights Winery being one of the best.

　"Silver Heights is one of about 10 small wineries in Ningxia, some of which produce grapes for larger wineries, while others focus on high quality wines that they bottle and market themselves," says 36-year-old Emma.

　Spurred on by her father, who helped pioneer the local wine industry, Emma was sent to study viniculture in Bordeaux, France. There she met winemaker and now husband Thierry, and returned to establish Silver Heights in 2007. Their 40-hectare vineyard on the slopes of Helan Shan has the ideal soil, sunlight and water supply from melting snowcaps to produce some of the best wine in the country.

シャトー巡りも楽しみに

　The winery produces two wines, both blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and a variety unique to China known as Cabernet Gernischt. Both have won major awards. Most recently, Silver Heights Family Reserve 2010 was named Best Chinese Red Wine by international judges at the 2012 China Wine Challenge.

　From producing 3,000 bottles in their first vintage in 2007, the Gao's reached their goal of 30,000 with the 2012 harvest. For now, they're selling to a high-end list of clients in China. Their reputation having been established, international distributors are keen to sell the label overseas, but the winery can't produce enough wine to fulfill potential orders.

　"We want to continue to improve the quality of our wine, manage our vineyard and build our welcoming center," says Emma, adding with a bright smile, "We want to share our wine with good people."

　At the other end of the scale, one of the larger local producers, Xixiaking Winery, in an important step for the industry, has entered into a joint venture with French champagne giant Moet & Chandon to produce locally grown sparkling wine for the domestic market.

　Wine tourism is likely to be a big boost. Capitalizing on this, Chandon is constructing a strikingly modern winery at its vineyards. Changyu's Yinchuan winery has just completed an impressive faux French classical chateau with trellised gardens and marble fountain to impress patrons. If it weren't for the Chinese gateman, you could swear you were in the Loire. Ningxia regional wineries, large and small, will open their doors to busloads of day visitors ready to wine, dine and buy the local vintages.

　As in the first days of the Silk Road, wine has become a symbol of East meets West. Ningxia wines are already holding their own against French, Australian and Californian wines. It won't be long before you see Chinese-labeled wines at your local liquor store.