“The most interesting part of coming to this experience is the huadiao jars. It’s an earthen-clay vessel that’s designed uniquely for each person, so each jar has a unique story to it,” he said.

Today, winemaking is a pillar industry in Shaoxing and the city is well-versed in leveraging its rich wine culture to stimulate development.

In 2021, Shaoxing huangjiu’s sales revenue totaled 5.54 billion yuan ($780 million), accounting for about 43 percent of China’s total. The profits of Shaoxing’s wine industry hit 816 million yuan, making up approximately 48 percent of the national total, more than 8 percentage points higher than the previous year.

Authorities have been seeking further development by integrating wine brewing with tourism. One such example is the Shaoxing Huangjiu Town, where visitors can savor heritage wine while enjoying ancient architectures and stunning views of nature.

Following a comprehensive upgrading of its facilities earlier this year, the town in Dongpu sub-district, Yuecheng district, saw over 100,000 tourist visits between the National Day holiday beginning on Oct 1 and mid-November.

The town was on Nov 7 designated the permanent host venue for the China International Huangjiu Industry Expo at this year’s event which it hosted.

Christine said that she would return with friends who are interested in wine brewing and explore the other beautiful sites in Shaoxing.

Enthralled by the local landscapes and the brewing techniques which she had never heard of before, Greta Bianchi, an Italian who works as the operation manager of VFS Global in Shanghai, expressed her strong desire to visit again.

“I will definitely be back. There’s so much more about this place that I want to explore,” she said.