By Jim Boyce

Like getting a good score from Robert Parker, doing well in the Decanter World Wine Awards can be a useful marketing tool, and that includes for wineries in China. Witness Ningxia’s Helan Qing Xue — when its Jia Bei Lan pulled a stunner last year and became the first Chinese wine to win an “international trophy“, in a Bordeaux category no less, it raised this operation’s profile overnight. In fact, a total of 11 wines from six operations in China won some kind of recognition last year  — see here for a list of those and others wines getting recognition over the past five years.

Decanter has just announced that entries are open for this year’s contest:

Wines can be entered online or by post from 3 January 2012 to 1 March 2012. Judging takes place in London from 23 April to 4 May 2012. Results are announced at the London International Wine Fair and on Decanter.com on 22 May.

Given last year’s result, it will be interesting not only to see how wines from China do, but also if we see an increase in entries from this country. More details on the contest are available here.

(Hat tip to The Cellar Rat)

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