Ningxia shares the fruits of its labor
New TV series highlights winemakers in Northwest China who are savoring a taste of success, Xu Fan reports.
Yu Huiming, the chief winemaker of Ningxia State Farm Winery, the first in the region to produce wines, is one of the most impressive individuals interviewed by Yi.
In 1983, at the age of 19, Yu was among eight young talented people chosen from a local factory to travel to Qinhuangdao in Hebei province to learn winemaking techniques. Upon his return, Yu carefully transported high-quality grape seedlings, safeguarding them in his overcoat to keep them warm and ensuring they were diligently watered.
"Yu took a slow-moving green train and brought back the first grape seedlings, ultimately crafting Ningxia's first bottle of wine two years later. It is considered a milestone in the history of Ningxia winemaking," Yi says.
Recruiting a cast and crew of more than 300 members, the TV series was produced between September and November 2022. Interestingly, although most of the scenes were shot in local vineries, the cast and crew were forbidden to drink wine during work.
