The countryside takes on a red hue for Fangshan visitors

Fangshan district in Beijing has launched a series of promotions to boost its winery tourism. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The urban sprawl of high-rise buildings gradually gave way to lush green countryside and complete with a lake as we drove to Fangshan, about 35 kilometers southwest of the city center.

Fangshan is building up a reputation for itself as a green getaway where city dwellers blow away some of the cobwebs, but the nature of that reputation is slowly changing.

Move aside green and come in red and white, for one of Fangshan's newer attractions is wine. The local authority has instigated a series of travel promotions that draw on the appeal of local chateaux and the wine they produce, and these were unveiled at Beijing Wine held in September.

An international wine competition will be staged in the district this month to give a fillip to local chateau culture.

Standardization and normalization rules for the development of chateaux in Beijing are expected to be drawn up eventually, the goal being to integrate local resources related to the wine industry and showcase Beijing's chateau culture and wine, officials at the festival said.

During the festival, too, travel agencies and local chateaus signed agreements on business collaboration.

Those with a ready nose and palate for wine will now be able to do trips to the area, most of one day or two, and tour chateaux, museums, villages and, of course, take in the beauty of the many surrounding natural scenic spots. They will also be able to get an insight into traditional farming culture and modern wine making.

"They will be able to pick vinifera, inspect all the processes in wine making such as sorting grapes, juicing and bottling, and savor wine and food even as our winemakers explain how everything works," says Zou Xin, tourism development manager with Densiho Chateau.