Ao Yun 2018 Shangri-La

Product info about Ao Yun 2018 Shangri-la

Ao Yun 2018 Shangri-La is a red wine from one of the most striking origins in the wine world: Deqin County in Yunnan, near Shangri-La, in the high-altitude Upper Mekong Valley. The name Ao Yun is often translated as above the clouds, a fitting reference to vineyards planted at roughly 2,200 to 2,600 metres, at the foot of the Meili Mountains.

The wine is drawn from small vineyard plots around Xidang, Sinong, Shuori and Adong. Ao Yun follows hundreds of individual parcels and sub-parcels, leased from local families, with altitude, exposure, wind, soil and microclimate all treated as part of the final expression. From the first vintage onward, the vineyards have been managed according to European organic standards.

Cabernet Sauvignon leads the 2018 blend, supported by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot. The growing season started early, while a dry, cool autumn helped the fruit ripen gradually over a long harvest period from early September to mid-November. In the cellar, the focus was on gentler extraction, using gravity rather than pumps and carefully selecting press wine. Ageing took place partly in Chinese earthenware jars and partly in wooden vessels, followed by further maturation in oak barrels.

At Drankenshop Broekmans, this is the kind of bottle we see as a serious discovery for drinkers interested in structured red wine beyond the classic European map. Its release through La Place de Bordeaux gave Ao Yun 2018 additional international visibility and marked an important moment for Chinese fine wine. With only the last bottles remaining, this vintage also carries a natural sense of scarcity.

Ao Yun 2018 is described as deep purple in colour, with a full, structured presence. Aromatically, it is driven by dark fruit: cassis, blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, mulberry, blueberry and black plum. More Cabernet-led notes appear behind the fruit, including tea leaf, mint, sage, thyme and a graphite-like mineral edge.

On the palate it is concentrated and firmly built, with lively acidity and fine yet noticeable tannins. The dark fruit remains central, while toasted bread, smoke, clove, coffee, black liquorice, earth, tar and incense add further depth. The finish is marked by length, freshness and a saline-mineral impression.