Casual drinkers cheer development of local wines

Ma, who leads the discussion, points out that some Chinese wine experts like taking notes in English and using perplexing tasting terms.

"Experts can easily distinguish black truffle from white truffle," she says. "But few Chinese consumers will know the flavor of truffle, let alone telling the difference."

The Grape Wall Challenge is just one event designed to bridge the gap. After the first flight, the consumers go from nervous to confident. They talk openly about which wines they like and dislike, and even debate the aesthetics of some bottles.

"The wine industry makes wine too complicated, but we want to make it simple, and we want regular people's opinions," says Boyce. "You don't need an expert to tell you which Peking duck is the best. We think it's the same with the wine."

According to Ma, a good bottle of wine usually requires quality grapes, which produce rich fruitiness, and good technology with proper oxidization. But when it comes to one's favorite wine, opinions diverge widely.

One of the judges, Cui Yunan, a branding chief of food startup Yikouliangshi, enjoys wines from Ningxia's Kanaan the most. "Its wines are pretty sophisticated," says Cui. "But what really impresses me is my feeling, 'I want more', after each sip."

Ma's favorite is Silver Heights' Family Reserve cabernet sauvignon-merlot. "It's more than a good wine; It's a wine with character," she says. "(The winemakers) not only consider the drinking experience of the consumers, but also give some thought to the food and wine match."

Ma also notes that the tasting doesn't usually reveal a complete picture of a wine as such mass tasting often puts the wine at the center of attention without consideration of the food and company.

She says she's impressed by the casual wine drinkers' choices of wine and believes that consumers' opinions should be fully valued.