Purple grape
Food - Drink
Most Of The World’s Grapes Come From This Country
By AUTUMN SWIERS
Whether you enjoy grapes raw, frozen, dried into raisins, or aged into wine, we can probably all agree that this small fruit is pretty incredible. When you think of grapes you might think of France, Italy, or even California, so you might be surprised to learn what country leads the world in grape production.
History of Grapes in China
As it turns out, China leads the world in global grape production, producing 16 million tons of grapes annually, which might be surprising, but grapes have a long history in China. Geological fossils of the V. romanetti grape species found in Linqu Country of the Shandong Province date back a whopping 26 million years.
Grapes & Chinese Culture
Grapes and wine have been interwoven into Chinese culture since ancient times. Li Po, a prolific Chinese poet, wrote a poem about wine called “Waking from Drunken Sleep on A Spring Day,” which is surprisingly relatable given it was written in the 8th century. Chinese winemaking and grape agriculture officially took off during the Tang Dynasty from 618 to 907 CE.
Chinese Viticulture Today
Chinese production of grapes saw rapid growth in the 20th century, with the country producing 60 times more grapes from 1949 to 1998. This is not surprising as the country is perfectly poised for the job, with the ideal climate for grapes. To check it out for yourself, you can look for imported Chinese wine at your local specialty wine store.