chateaux in france and china have started the grape harvest season in vineyards. france, home of bordeaux, burgundy and champagne, is an important wine-producing country. there is also a "bordeaux" in northwest china which lies in the eastern foothills of helan mountain. located between 37 degrees and 39 degrees north latitude, this area sits roughly at the same latitude as the bordeaux wine region, which is regarded as the "golden zone" for growing wine grapes.
with abundant sunshine, little rainfall, and semi-sandy soil, this area boasts favorable conditions for grapes. over the years, ningxia has burgeoned into a major winemaking region in china. so far, more than 1,000 varieties of wine from local chateaux have won top wine contests around the world.
