Hunting down China's wines

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - Wines from China are still largely beyond the horizon of the U.S. wine market.

China Silk, the brand highlighted in Evan Osnos' report from China's Xinjiang province, is no longer available in Chicago. Steve Clarke, president of China Silk Import Inc., doesn't expect new China Silk wines to be in the United States until next year.

Most wine merchants in the Chicago area shrugged their shoulders when asked about Chinese wine. But there are a few stores, notably Sam's Wines & Spirits, carrying a wine line called Dragon's Hollow. The wines sell for about $10.

Dragon's Hollow wines are made in China's Ningxia autonomous region for an American wine distributor, David Henderson, and Bartholomew Broadbent, a wine importer and one of the world's experts on Madeira and port. He is the son of the British wine legend Michael Broadbent. Ningxia is located to the east of Xinjiang province and south of China's Inner Mongolia region. It lies near the 38th parallel.

The 2005 vintage has been in stores here and the 2006 vintage is on its way. Here are notes on three Dragon's Hollow wines:

_2005 Dragon's Hollow Cabernet Sauvignon: Dark plum-red color with a jammy aroma of cooked fruit and a touch of earth. Ripe flavor with black fruit, tannins and a strong dose of black pepper on the medium-length finish. An OK, serviceable wine. Pair with Salisbury steak, braised Chinese spare ribs.

_2006 Dragon's Hollow Riesling: This crisp dry riesling has a lovely sweet-sour nose, sort of like fresh flowers laid on wet stone. Plenty of green apple flavors; high acidity keeps sweetness in check. Look for a watermelon Jolly Rancher note to the finish. A fun, pleasant wine that's not at all complex. Serve with pad Thai noodles with shrimp, veal with capers and lemon.

_2006 Dragon's Hollow Chardonnay: Spry and tangy, this unoaked white has green apple and lime flavors. Short finish. The nose is subtle but true to the grape variety. Nice but rather average wine. Serve with stir-fried chicken, fettuccine in cream sauce, breaded fish fillets.

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