Deqen Grapes

Deqen Grapes

　　In 2005, Shangri-La Winery Co., Ltd. partnered with the Deqen County Government of Diqing Prefecture to cultivate grapes. Through continuous development, it has now established a high-quality wine grape planting base covering tens of thousands of acres in Deqen County. The base includes world-renowned premium wine grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Chardonnay, among which 3,000 acres have obtained national certification for organic grapes and wine, making it the highest-altitude and largest organic vineyard in the world.

　　The grape base is located in the cool river valleys of the Jinsha River and Lancang River within the “Three Parallel Rivers” UNESCO World Heritage site, at an average altitude of 2,400 meters. The grapes are cultivated on hillsides, slopes, or terraced land along both banks of the Lancang River. The plateau growing region enjoys up to 2,233 hours of annual sunshine and experiences a diurnal temperature variation exceeding 15°C, enabling the grapes to easily achieve sugar levels as high as 25 degrees and a deep purple gem-like color. The irrigation water comes from the meltwater of 6,000-meter-high ancient glaciers — a unique water source in the world — which is crystal clear and rich in minerals, contributing to the distinctive style of the highland grapes. The intense ultraviolet rays at high altitude further enrich the grapes’ content of “resveratrol.” In areas below 2,100 meters along the Lancang River, the average annual rainfall is between 300 to 600 millimeters, with almost no rain in the month before harvest, helping the grapes avoid pests and diseases and exhibit exceptional quality... The combination of high altitude, low latitude, fertile sandy soil, and a unique climate results in grapes with excellent color, high sugar content, and rich aroma. The wines produced here have a distinctive style, making them premium highland vintages.