Wine deals: ASC partners with Ningxia’s Kanaan

ASC Fine Wines has partnered with Ningxia’s Kanaan winery for exclusive distribution in the hotel and restaurant sector in mainland China.

“This collaboration introduces Kanaan Winery’s renowned selection of signature wines, including Pretty Pony and Riesling, to wine lovers across China through ASC’s highly efficient distribution network,” says an ASC press release.

Kanaan is among Ningxia’s higher-profile brands, arising over a decade ago on the heels of operations like Helan Qing Xue and Silver Heights, when the region was heavily focused on Bordeaux-style blends.

And while Kanaan attracted attention for Cabernet-driven reds like “Pretty Pony”, it also made a splash with Riesling, a grape far rarer in the region but considered a “must” by owner Wang Fang, who had studied and lived in Germany.

That Riesling featured at a Shanghai gathering with ASC last week to officially debut the partnership, as did several Kanaan red wines, with a special label to celebrate the 80th birthday of Wang’s father, Wang Fengyu. He is also a key figure in the rise of Ningxia’s wine industry, including as a co-founder of Helan Qing Xue.

Kanaan previously had a distribution deal with Summergate, from 2015 until earlier this year. Prior to that, it had an “unofficial” partnership with Grape Wall (just kidding).

ASC also has distribution agreements with other Chinese operations, including Mu Xin from the Shangri-La area of Yunnan and Long Yu, a brand by Changyu in Ningxia.

The deal with ASC does not extend to Wang’s other wine project, Mulando.

Also see my Q&8 with Wang Fang, covering everything from Riesling to winery tourism to her love of horses and dogs.

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