Puchang Vineyard Saperavi, Turpan, Xinjiang 2018 · 蒲昌酒莊 沙布拉維 2018

The third wine of the night — a Georgian grape grown in the Turpan desert, poured for its vivid, wild character.

Region: Turpan, Xinjiang, China | Grape: Saperavi | Vintage: 2018 | ABV: 14% | Style: Dry Red | From vines over 25 years old | Volume: 750ml

Terroir
Weakly alkaline alluvial soils of Gobi gravel, sand and silt with a little clay on the surface. Vines more than 25 years old grow on sunny slopes at 1,100–1,200 m in the Turpan Basin, where rainfall is only 16–20 mm a year, the average temperature is 14.4°C, sunshine runs to 3,000–3,200 hours, the growing season lasts about 270 days and day–night swings are extreme. Tianshan snowmelt irrigates the vines through ancient karez channels.

Winemaking
Late-harvested to reach full ripeness under Turpan's intense desert sun, staying true to Saperavi's Georgian roots rather than chasing a Cabernet-style profile.

High Cru Tasting Notes
Deep, almost opaque garnet. Blackberry, bayberry and black cherry, with herbal, wet-stone and cocoa notes underneath. Medium-high acid, vivid and juicy, with firm, slightly rustic tannins and a long, spiced finish.

Food Pairing
Xinjiang big-plate chicken (da pan ji) and wood-ear fungus with beef — the wine's fruit and acidity stand up to the chilli and oil, while its earthy, savoury notes echo the wood-ear.