Silver Heights Jia Yuan Marselan 2019

We now know why Chinese wines from the Ning Xia region is gaining so much popularity.

The Silver Heights Jia Yuan Marselan has deep ruby red and medium body with smooth tannins. It offers notes of raspberry, lychee floral and licorice. Very easy to drink and has a well-balanced finished.

Fermented using wild yeast, and slowly racked to avoid filtration. The wine is aged for 12 months in new French barrels. There are two soil types in the Helan Mountain Eastern Foothills wine region: Sierozem and Eolian. Sierozem, a desert soil, is characterized by brownish gray color at the surface and lighter color below, and is based in a carbonate or hardpan layer. Different ratios of gravel, sand and clay within the Sierozem soil account for variations across wineries in the area. Eolian soil is made of wind deposited materials that consist primarily of sand or silt-sized particles. Silver Heights’ vineyards are all on Sierozem soil, with a high concentration of gravel.

One unique viticultural feature of the region is the practice of burying the vines under 30 cm (12 inches) of earth to protect them during the harsh, freezing winters.

Psst, Marselan is a recent crossing between two famous red grape varieties, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines made from Marselan are medium-bodied with fine tannins, good color, and characteristics of cherry and cassis.