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Evelyn Chen

When you think of Shaoxing wine, do you picture it in a glass or sizzling in a wok?
For most, Shaoxing wine is that clear, amber-hued cooking essential with a distinctive aromatic nose that lends sweet and briny flavours to food, deepening and enriching dishes.
But this 3,000-year-old yellow wine, made from glutinous rice, water from Jianhu Lake and a wheat-based yeast, is so much more than just a seasoning.
It is one of the oldest wines in the world and was a beverage of choice in China for the upper classes during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, as well as being a staple at official banquets.


After a period of decline, in part because of the Japanese invasion of China and Communist Party rule, Shaoxing wine is finally reclaiming the spotlight.
“The suppression policy [by the government] favoured coarse-grain liquors like baijiu over fine-grain rice wines, [because rice] grains were prioritised as food over wine production back then,” explains wine connoisseur Chen Zhi, who founded boutique Shaoxing wine brand Dong Qu Shaoxing Wine in 2019 after working at Pagoda Brand Winery.
However, as China’s economy has grown, so has the younger generation’s interest in their cultural heritage. Shaoxing wine, a key part of China’s cultural renaissance, is once again being appreciated for its deep cultural roots.
Zhang Shun, founder of Mansong, a boutique yellow rice wine maker, agrees. “With the renewed interest in Chinese traditions, more people are beginning to understand the uniqueness of Shaoxing rice wine,” he says.
Zhang attributes the rising popularity of Shaoxing wine in part to the proliferation of restaurants serving regional Chinese cuisines, some of which have gained recognition from the Michelin Guide and the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide.

The rise of boutique brands like Dong Qu and Mansong is helping Shaoxing wines enjoy a renaissance. Shaoxing was the first product in China to receive a protected geographical designation of origin in 2000, and its traditional brewing technique was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2006.
More than just a cooking wine, Shaoxing wine is now appreciated as a beverage, one that pairs beautifully with both Chinese and Western cuisines.
Businesses are also experimenting with its unique flavour, incorporating it into yellow wine popsicles, yogurt and even milk tea.

But not all Shaoxing wines are created equal.
Just as grape wines are classified by their residual sugar content, Shaoxing wine is divided into four types: yuanhong (dry), jiafan (semi-dry), shanniang (semi-sweet) and xiangxue (sweet). The highest quality wines fall into the jiafan category, of which Dong Qu’s wines are an example.
“Huadiao wine is also jiafan wine,” Chen says. “It’s the finest variety, named after the floral-carved wine jar that holds it.”

At Dong Qu, they tweak the rice-to-water ratio, meaning its Shaoxing wine takes more rice to produce than the typical jiafan wine. It begins the winemaking process during the winter solstice, using a varietal of premium glutinous rice from Anqing, Anhui province, which has a growth cycle that is a month longer than that of most varieties.
This extra time, says Chen Zhi, allows the grain to store more nutrients, resulting in a richer flavour in Dong Qu wines.
Unlike most yellow wines that are blended for consistency, Dong Qu wines are not mixed. It sells single vintage Shaoxing wines bottled directly from the jar where the yellow wine is aged, thus reflecting the character of each vintage.
While not technically a Shaoxing wine, Mansong’s yellow wine is made in Shaoxing. It uses top-quality short-grain rice from Wuchang and Panjin, rather than glutinous rice, and the rice is polished and ground for a more refined end product, one that highlights the original aroma of the rice and gives it a different flavour profile to Shaoxing wine.
Both Dong Qu and Mansong wines are widely poured in top-tier restaurants in China. While Shaoxing wine is widely perceived as a great match for Chinese cuisine, it has been increasingly accepted as a pairing option in Western restaurants.












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At EHB in Shanghai, a one-Michelin-star offshoot of the three-Michelin-star Maaemo in Norway’s capital, Oslo, Dong Qu’s Shaoxing wine is served, using a ladle and from a ceramic jar, as part of the restaurant’s wine pairing programme.
“Shaoxing wine pairs harmoniously with richly flavoured Chinese food – it’s not too sweet, not too high in alcohol, and not too acidic,” says Richard King, head sommelier at EHB. “It also has the flavour profile of oxidised wine, with an added complexity and umami notes, a floral bouquet and a distinct rice aroma.”
The restaurant’s chef and founder, Esben Holmboe Bang, loves Shaoxing wine, including “its profound story, and rich history”, says King, who pairs Shaoxing wine with a dish of charcoal-grilled Norwegian langoustine brushed with honey and butter, served with miso, chanterelles and two types of plum sauce.
“It’s more umami-driven; it doesn’t overpower the food,” he adds, and notes that the new wave of yellow wine brands is contributing to the resurgence of the traditional drink with a rich history.
“Beyond this trend, I believe Shaoxing wine has enduring potential. It has a bright future, and we must focus on proper education and effective promotion to fully realise the promise of this fantastic beverage,” King says.


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Artisanal Shaoxing wine brands such as Dong Qu make single vintages that are poured at top-tier restaurants. Photo: Dong Qu

Workers at the Dong Qu Shaoxing Winery shift bags of glutinous rice to be used in winemaking. Photo: Evelyn Chen

Jianhu Lake water is mixed with yeast and rice at Dong Qu Shaoxing Winery. This mixture is poured into cooled rice in a vat and mixed, after which they sit for four days. Photo: Evelyn Chen

Over four days, the brew master at Dong Qu winery has to rake the rice mixture every four to five hours to manage the fermentation. Photo: Evelyn Chen

Shaoxing wine is poured into smaller clay jars loosely capped with lotus leaf and a lid. The jars are transferred to the open, where natural fermentation takes place for three months. Photo: Evelyn Chen

Dong Qu’s single vintage Shaoxing wines are naturally aged. Photo: Dong Qu

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Food & Drink

After a period of decline in which it was relegated to the kitchen, Shaoxing wine is finally reclaiming its status as a refined drink


After a period of decline in which it was relegated to the kitchen, Shaoxing wine is finally reclaiming its status as a refined drink.


Wine and Spirits

China