Diqing Plateau Wine

Diqing Plateau Wine

Diqing Plateau Wine is a product protected under geographical indication.

　　150 years ago, French missionaries came to Deqen bringing the Bible and the cross, as well as the renowned French grape variety “Muscat Rouge.” After a century and a half of careful cultivation, the deep purple “Muscat Rouge,” which had long disappeared in France, still thrives in Deqen, giving rise to a distinctive plateau wine with local character and writing a valley legend. Deqen benefits from large diurnal temperature variations, abundant sunlight, natural snowmelt irrigation, and pristine air—making it a natural cradle for grape growing with uniquely favorable ecological conditions.

　　　　In 2002, Deqen County established a Grape Industry Development Project Leading Group, headed by the county party committee and county government leaders, with relevant departments as members. A Biological Resources Development and Innovation Office was specifically set up to oversee the development of the grape industry. By combining zero-input initiatives with corporate support, the program integrated funds from various agricultural-related departments. The company provided grape seedlings, while the government offered free cement poles and wire worth 3,000 yuan per mu, along with a subsidy policy of 300 yuan per mu per year for three years for planting households. This approach greatly boosted the grape industry and fostered a development model of “company + base + farmer,” where the company handled overall planning and unified technical solutions, farmers managed the operations, fresh grapes were sold collectively, and the winery handled centralized processing.

　　　　Ice wine made primarily from Deqen grapes passed the technical quality assessment of the provincial science and technology department and won a silver award at the Second Asian Grape Quality Competition. Starting in 2008, the plateau series wines, officially launched on the market, have repeatedly earned accolades in domestic and international wine competitions. In April 2008, they won a gold award at the Third Asian Wine Quality Competition; in July 2008, they earned one gold and one silver award at the Second International Wine and Spirits Tasting Competition; in September 2009, they received a “Special Gold Award” at the Third “Clonebin” International Wine Quality Competition; and in April 2010, they won another gold award at the Fourth Asian Wine Quality Competition. These trophies and medals have brought international fame to Deqen wines and helped establish a strong brand image for the county’s grape industry.

　　　　From the initial trial planting of 120 mu in 2000, the county has now developed a standardized grape planting area of 9,714 mu, involving 20 village committees across 6 townships and over 2,800 farming households. A vineyard base spanning ten thousand mu has begun to take shape. In 2010, the total output value of grapes in the county reached 7.53 million yuan, with an average income of 3,600 yuan per mu, and the highest per-mu income reaching 6,000 yuan. These small grapes have made a big impact, contributing 50% to the income growth of farmers in the planting areas. Today in Deqen, whether along the banks of the Jinsha River in the Benzilan region or on both sides of the Lancang River valley, rows of grapevines supported by short cement poles can be seen. Deqen is striding towards becoming the world’s highest-altitude premium grape production area of 20,000 mu.