How some of the best Chinese wines are being made by innovative women-led producers

As the female winemaker who put Chinese vintages on the map for the first time, Zhang Jing of winery Helan Qingxue is a trailblazer, but no anomaly.

From the dusty vineyards of China’s countryside to its chic metropolitan bars, women are at the forefront of the country’s increasingly vibrant wine scene, spurring innovation at every stage of the production – and consumption – process.

Helan Qingxue sent shock waves through the industry in 2011 when it produced the first Chinese wine to win top honours at the industry’s most prestigious competition, the Decanter World Wine Awards, even provoking unsubstantiated claims of fraud.

Over a decade later, Zhang is one of many Chinese women internationally recognised for their boutique, world-class bottles, as the fledgling sector continues to evolve.

“It’s a very strong female-dominated industry here,” Chinese wine expert Fongyee Walker says.