Silk Road Vineyards Harvest White 2022

A high-altitude Riesling star from China's westernmost wine region, irrigated by Tianshan snowmelt.

Region: Ili Valley, Xinjiang, China | Grape: 100% Riesling | Vintage: 2022 | ABV: 12% | Style: Dry White

Terroir
Planted in the Kuerdening vineyard, one of Xinjiang's highest-altitude vineyards at roughly 1,260m, a sub-region pioneered by Chateau Silk Road. The Ili Valley is the only Chinese wine region influenced by warm, moist Atlantic air currents, giving a relatively cool, humid climate with a 200-day growing season and wide diurnal swings. Irrigated by Tianshan glacial meltwater; gravelly alluvial soil allows slow, even accumulation of phenolics, sugar and acid.

Winemaking
Organically farmed, no chemical fertilizer or herbicides, strictly capped yields. Hand-harvested, cold-pressed and cold-fermented in stainless steel to preserve fresh aromatics and high acidity — no oak aging, aiming for the pure, mineral-driven style that Kuerdening's high-altitude, cool climate provides.

High Cru Tasting Notes
Bright straw-yellow color; fresh honey, green apple, banana and pineapple aromatics. Lively, clean palate with grapefruit and mineral notes on the finish. After two hours of air: pale lemon color, reductive notes giving way to durian, fresh grass and light cream; high acidity, saline mineral character, a sweet malt-sugar finish with stone-fruit character — clean, natural winemaking with a peppery white-floral edge typical of a young vintage.