[Photo/WeChat account: zxsjwxpt]

Taila International Chateau Ecological Culture Area in Rushan, Shandong province was built in 2010 to serve as China's largest industrial cluster of chateaus and the best chateau-themed tourist destination in the country.

Rushan lies at the same latitude as Bordeaux, France, which is known worldwide for its top wines. Rushan also has a long history of grape planting and wine making. Since the 1960s, Rushan locals have started to grow grapes and the planting area reached over 10,000 mu (666.67 hectares) in the 1980s.

Taking advantage of the ideal local grape planting environment, Taila International Chateau Ecological Culture Area focuses on wine culture and aims to become a complex integrating grape planting, wine making, modern agriculture, science popularization, picking experiences, as well as leisure tourism.

The chateau has invited Duan Changqing, chief scientist of China's wine industry, to offer technical support on grape planting and wine making. Gerard Colin, former brewmaster of Chateau Lafite Rothschild once worked as the first brewer of the chateau. Gilles Pauquet, one of the world's top 10 enologists, and Mr Pierre, who has 30 years of experience on grape planting and management, now serve as the chief winemaker and master of grape planting in the chateau respectively.

"China is a mysterious country that I had been looking forward to visit. So I resolutely came here when I had the chance. I am fascinated by Chinese culture and customs, as well as Rushan's ideal grape-planting condition," said Pierre, adding that he hopes that he can work together with Pauquet to showcase the glamour and taste of Chinese wine to the world, as well as transform Taila wine into a top wine globally.

In just a few years, Taila wine has won 72 domestic and international awards, making its way onto the world stage.

On Dec 19, 2017, Taila Winery cooperated with the Greentown Group to construct a chateau-themed town, the first of its kind in China. The town is striving to optimize the industrial chain to create a new model for China's wine towns.