Chinese wines' potential uncorked in Australia

In June, Australian wine shop owner Ann Marie Tamburri made a personal trip to Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region and visited five wineries in two days.

"I was curious and wanted to learn more. So I paid for my own trip there," said Tamburri, who owns the La Vigna wine and liquor store in Perth, Western Australia.

Tamburri's interest in Chinese wines began when she first tried them about a year ago.

"We tasted about 18 wines from China. We were impressed with some of the wines …They're outstanding," she said. "We were curious to know more, and that's how it started. And so from there, we went on to list some (Chinese) wines in our wine shop."

Her positive take reflects how one of China's top winemaking areas is making headway in Australia, a leading player in the global industry.

Niu Xiaotong, general manager of Australia Northwest Liquor Trading company in Perth, promotes wines from the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in Ningxia.

Reaping the rewards from decades of major investment, the winemaking hub in Ningxia's capital, Yinchuan, with its high-altitude, desert-like climate near the Yellow River, has won international acclaim for its products.

Niu, who introduced Ningxia wines to Tamburri, said Western Australia's strong economy and consumer purchasing power made it a suitable location to introduce the region's premium wines.

He started promoting Chinese wines in Australia in October 2023, when the first shipment of Ningxia samples, including about 200 cases, arrived in the country.

"After about a year and a half of market promotion, research, and exploration, we selected 18 products from the initial range and shipped another 803 cases to Australia in mid-2025," Niu said.

By then, the number of distributors selling Ningxia wines had grown to 86 across Australia, covering mainly local bottle shops, fine dining restaurants, and wine bars, he said.

"At present, we are the largest importer and wholesaler of Chinese wines in Australia."

Niu said another key reason Ningxia wines have been relatively well received in Western Australia is their similarity to local wine styles.

"Australian wines are generally known for their prominent floral and fruit aromas, approachable style, and easy-drinking characteristics, while wines from the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains share some similarities with those from Western Australia's renowned Margaret River region," he said.

The advantage of Ningxia wines in Australia lies in their novelty. They also satisfy the curiosity of many local consumers, he said, adding that the differences in grape varieties and winemaking methods allow Ningxia wines to complement Australian ones.