Shaoxing: Yellow Wine Tasting & Ancient Brewery Tour

Long before grape wine conquered the Western world, China had its own ancient wine tradition — huangjiu (yellow wine), and Shaoxing has been its undisputed capital for over 2,500 years. This tasting experience takes you inside the world of Shaoxing wine, from the brewing vats to your glass, revealing a drink that has fueled Chinese culture, cuisine, and poetry since the Spring and Autumn Period. Your tour begins at a historic Shaoxing brewery, where the art of yellow wine making has been passed down through generations. As you walk through the production halls, your guide will explain the traditional brewing process: the careful selection of glutinous rice, the use of Jianhu Lake's mineral-rich water (the secret ingredient), the fermentation with special wheat yeast, and the years-long aging in distinctive ceramic jars sealed with lotus leaves and mud. Watch artisans at work during brewing season (autumn-winter), or explore the aging cellars year-round, where thousands of ceramic jars sit in silent rows — some aging for 3 years, others for decades. Your guide will explain how aging transforms sharp young wine into the smooth, complex spirit prized by connoisseurs. Then comes the main event: a guided tasting of 5 different Shaoxing wines, from dry (yuan hong) to sweet (feng gang), each paired with traditional Shaoxing snacks — fennel beans, dried tofu, and other local specialties. Your guide will teach you the proper tasting technique and explain the flavor profiles, helping you discover which style suits your palate. Learn about yellow wine's deep role in Chinese culture: the tradition of burying a jar when a daughter is born and opening it at her wedding (nu er hong), the medicinal uses in traditional Chinese medicine, and the essential role Shaoxing wine plays in Chinese cooking — it's the "sherry" of Chinese cuisine.