Jade Valley Vineyard
Jade Valley Winery is located in Yushan Town, Lantian County, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, at the intersection of the northern foothills of the Qinling Mountains and the Guanzhong Plain. Founded in 2000 by international architect Ma Qingyun, it is a comprehensive attraction integrating grape cultivation, winemaking, architectural art, and rural tourism. Located in the golden grape-growing belt at 35 degrees north latitude, the winery leverages the unique climate and soil conditions of the Ba River Basin to cultivate high-quality wine grapes such as Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, forming an agricultural tourism system that integrates vineyard landscapes and winemaking experiences.
Of all the chateaus, cellars and wineries in China, Jade Valley Winery stands out for its creativity and uniqueness, combing the modern wine brewing technology and grape planting with making full use of the local landscape and customs, despite its relatively small size. Don't miss it if you plan a Wine Tasting Tour to China.
Jade Valley Winery Facts
The History
Geographical Conditions
35km east of the ancient capital city, Xi’an, Jade Valley Wine & Resort hides itself in a valley of the Qinlin Mountain range, surrounded by original rural villages, vast fields of wheat, lush trees, and fresh air. Here the town is not only home to the “Lantian Man” of the ancient age, but also the depository of precious “Lantian Jade”, known as imperial jade to the West.
The region has a warm temperate semi-humid climate, with an average annual rainfall of 650 mm and a temperature difference of 12°C between day and night. The unique soil conditions of calcareous clay and gravel are similar to those of the Burgundy region in France. The vineyards of Jade Valley Winery are distributed on sunny slopes at an altitude of 700-800 meters, forming a terraced planting layout.
>> Learn more about Xian weather and Best Time to Visit
Architectural Features
Jade Valley Winery is a well-structured complex designed by Ma Qingyun, breaking away from traditional residential forms in Guanzhong. It employs sunken courtyards and well-like structures, with exterior walls hand-laid using local river pebbles, creating a spatial philosophy experience of “sitting in a well and gazing at the universe.” The building was certified as one of the “World's Seven Classic Residences” by Architectural Record in 2010.
The entrance courtyard, completed in 2018, features a 12-meter-tall white horse sculpture and is surrounded by a 5-meter-high stone wall, creating a visually striking entrance. Inside, a wine culture display area showcases the grape growing and winemaking process through light and shadow installations.
The main structure, “Jade Mountain Stone Firewood,” was built using pebbles from the Qingyu River. Completed over three years by local artisans, it was selected for the “World's Best Homes” list. The building is arranged in terraced levels following the mountain contours, with walls up to 60 centimeters thick that also serve as natural temperature regulators.
Wine Industry
The winemaking team at Jade Valley Winery in Xi'an is exceptionally talented. Chief Winemaker Victoria Coleman trained under the head winemaker at Napa Valley's Opus One, while Production Director Luo Yuchen holds a master's degree from France's Montpellier AgriTech.
The signature Jade Valley Pinot Noir Dry Red Wine features aromas of cherry and violet with refined tannins. It was praised by British Master of Wine Jancis Robinson as “demonstrating the potential of China's boutique wineries.”
>> Recommended 14-day China Wine Tasting Tour
What to Do at Jade Valley Wine & Resort
It will be so delightful to have a Xian tour including the winery, the vineyard and tranquil surrounding area, admire at the interesting architectures including Stone House, the hilltop Wine Dorm (a converted office building turned into a luxury hotel) and Well Hall, and of course, taste some of Jade Valley’s finest wines combined with enjoying tasty local food and snacks, fascinating performances such as shadow play, Shannxi opera!
After a happy and refreshed day of the Jade Valley Winery, visitors can stay overnight in either cubic Wine Dorm hotel or the Well Hall Hotel, both of which helped Qingyun Ma receive international awards and are of impressive and inspiring design and style.
