Zhangjiawan Grapes

Zhangjiawan Grapes

Zhangjiawan grapes are a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

　　Zhangjiawan has a history of grape cultivation spanning over a hundred years and is known as the “Turpan of Beijing” and the “Grape Capital of the Suburbs of Beijing.” It is renowned for its large cultivation area, diverse varieties, and high-quality grapes. Zhangjiawan grapes have been awarded the status of a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

　　Grape cultivation in Zhangjiawan dates back to the Yuan Dynasty, making it around seven or eight hundred years old. In the early days, Zhangjiawan grapes were primarily Muscat varieties. In the 1960s, the region was among the first in China to introduce Japan’s Kyoho variety. By the 1990s, the grape cultivation area in Zhangjiawan reached over 20,000 acres. At that time, not only in Beijing but also in cities and provinces such as Shanghai, Guangdong, and Guangxi, the grapes sold came from Zhangjiawan. After more than 30 years of development, Zhangjiawan grapes have moved beyond filling market shortages and the blind pursuit of area and yield, now advancing toward diversification of varieties, precision in management, ecological environments, and organic production.

　　The current grape cultivation area in Zhangjiawan Town exceeds 7,000 acres, featuring over 130 different grape varieties including Victoria, Gui Fei Rose, Red Double Flavor, Giant Rose, Longbao, Jasmine, Red Queen, and many more. These include well-known classic varieties such as Kyoho, Muscat, Fujiminori, and Horse Milk; as well as new varieties with appealing names and attractive appearances like Xiangfei, Drunken Golden Fragrance, Honey Juice, Beauty Finger, Golden Finger, Longbao, Jasmine, Xiangyu, and Crisp Glow. There are also many with “foreign-sounding” names such as Moldova, August, Victoria, Siegerrebe, Red Braidadi, and Liza. Whatever you can name, you’ll likely find it here. Grape varieties can be categorized by harvest time into early, mid, and late season; by flavor into muscat, strawberry, osmanthus, pineapple, and light aromatic types; by flesh texture into melting, soft, crisp, and firm; by shape into round, oval, cylindrical, finger-shaped, and heart-shaped; and if categorized by color, you’d need a color chart to keep track — truly, some are ruby-red like agate, golden-yellow like translucent jade, purple like crystal, green like jadeite, and black like indigo.

　　Grapes produced in Zhangjiawan Town have also successfully obtained organic fruit certification and have won several awards, including the Premium Award at the 3rd Beijing Agricultural Expo, the Gold Award at the 5th Beijing International Science and Technology Expo, and the Gold Award at the China International Forestry Industry Expo. Among them, nine grape varieties — including Gui Fei Rose, Yellow Italian, Beauty Finger, and August — were rated as Olympic Recommended Fruits for three consecutive years, while Pink Yatoumi, Victoria, and Liza were honored as “China Famous Fruits.”

　　 Production Area Scope.

　　The production area of Zhangjiawan Grapes (Zhangwan Grapes) covers the current administrative region of Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, Beijing.

　　I. Varieties

　　High-quality varieties such as Kyoho, Jingya, Muscat, Italian, Liza, and Siegerrebe.

　　II. Site Conditions

　　Soil type is sandy loam, with the groundwater level below 0.75m. Soil pH ranges from 7.5 to 8.1, and organic matter content is ≥1.2%.

　　　　III. Cultivation Management

　　1. Seedling propagation: Cutting and grafting methods are used.

　　2. Planting: Planting takes place from late March to early April. For trellis systems, planting density is ≤3,000 plants per hectare; for pergola systems, it is ≤6,600 plants per hectare.

　　3. Yield control: Yield is limited to ≤22,500 kg per hectare.

　　4. Fertilizer and Water: Each 667㎡ (1 acre) is applied with ≥3 tons of well-rotted organic fertilizer as base fertilizer annually. Watering stops 10 days before harvest. The use of synthetic plant growth regulators is prohibited.

　　    5. Environmental and Safety Requirements: The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other inputs must comply with national regulations, and environmental contamination is not allowed.

　　　　IV. Harvesting

　　Grapes may be harvested when the soluble solids content reaches ≥16%, depending on the variety’s characteristics. Harvesting stops during excessively high midday temperatures.

　　　　V. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory Characteristics: The fruit clusters are neat, with intact bloom, medium-thick skins, and varietal-specific surface appearance; the flesh is fine-textured, with a balanced sugar-acid ratio and good palatability.