The authentic Chinese wines are very popular with Chinese food lovers across different nations around the globe. According to what many Chinese food history experts believe, the tradition of preparing and having Chinese wine is nearly 4000 years old. According to a popular legend, the first Chinese wine recipe was invented around 2100 B.C. by the wife of Yu, the first dynasty’s emperor. This millet wine soon became popular as the ‘yellow liquor’. Distilled alcoholic beverages that are now taken with Chinese food and appetizers became popular only in the 19th century. The Chinese wine and all other alcoholic beverages are referred to as ‘Jiu’ in Chinese.
The Chinese wines can be broadly categorized into two categories:
1) Fermented Beverages:
Examples: Grain-based ‘Choujiu’ or ‘Huangjiu’
These fermented alcoholic wines contain less than 20% alcohol, and are brewed from grains, such as wheat and rice. The fermented Chinese wine is pasteurized, aged, and filtered before being bottled. Huangjiu, one of the most popular fermented Chinese wines, features a rice base and dryness.
2) Distilled Beverages:
Examples: ‘Baijiu’ or ‘Shaojiu’
The distilled Chinese beverages contain more than 30% alcohol and are brewed from sorghum. Baijiu, also known as ‘white liquor’ or ‘hot liquor’, is one of the most popular wines in this category.
Apart from grains and sorghum, some Chinese wines are also brewed from fruits. However, the contents of the wine vary from one part of China to another. For instance, the South Chinese wine is based only on glutinous rice, while its Northern version is processed from a mixture of rice, sorghum, millet, barley, and wheat.
If you wish to experience the exotic flavor of the traditional Chinese wines, warm the beverage before consumption. This method will allow you to better exhale the pleasing, unique, and delicious aroma of the wine. Willamette Valley wine tours