Yantai, which has been making wine for more than a century, is situated at a latitude of 37 degrees north, and is believed to be located at an optimal location for producing wine. The city currently produces more wine than any other region in China.

Changyu Group, founded in 1892, is one of China's largest and oldest wine producers. Throughout the past century, the group has adhered to the company's original goal of making the best wine in China, which is now becoming a reality.

A fine bottle of wine is made using top-notch ingredients. The primary variables preventing the improvement of wine quality are the kinds and caliber of grapes. To create new grape types through hybridization and breeding, Changyu has combined traditional and modern methods.

According to Li Jiming, Changyu's chief engineer and a doctorate in viticulture, the new grape varieties introduced by the company are improved in accordance with the various soil types, climates, and levels of humidity found in each location.

Li also said that the organization has consistently worked to encourage technological advancement, which has helped Changyu Wine become one of China's most well-known wine manufacturers.The Koya brandy distillation process is also preserved and promoted by Changyu Group. A bottle of 700 ml Koya brandy is produced by fermenting about 10 kilograms of Ugni Blanc grapes into wine, distilling it twice, and allowing it to age for at least six years in oak barrels, which gives Chinese consumers additional premium brandy options.

A foreigner gets an up-close look at the grapes in Yantai, a coastal city in East China's Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]