Deep dive into the wines of China
Online course ⸱ 12 modules ⸱ 15-20 hours
Go beyond academic knowledge, gain a strategic edge.
Explore the wines of China: regions, terroirs, grape varieties, styles, and key producers shaping this emerging category.
Understand quality levels, tasting profiles, and how to confidently position these wines with clients and partners.
Access rare, first-hand insights to differentiate your expertise and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving wine landscape.
Step ahead in a fast-emerging wine category
From terroirs to producers, develop actionable expertise that sets you apart
For years, Chinese wines remained under the radar. Today, they are redefining expectations, with quality levels that rival established wine regions.
This training goes beyond knowledge. It gives you a true strategic advantage in a segment that remains largely underexplored.
As Chinese wines attract growing interest yet are still poorly understood by professionals, specialization becomes a powerful differentiator.
Designed by an expert based in China for over twenty years, it provides access to rare, first-hand insights that are immediately actionable.
More than just learning, it’s an opportunity to stay ahead and build expertise in a high-potential, still confidential field.
You now have the possibility to enter the pre-sales at a very competitive price. Pre-sales will end on May, 31st.
Concretely, what will you learn?
15 to 20 hours of video accessible online, anytime, anywhere + a PDF of the course
In this section, we'll explore what makes Chinese wine truly unique, from its paradoxical identity as both one of the world's oldest wine cultures and one of its most exciting modern renaissances. We'll uncover the story behind its extreme winemaking conditions, and why it's capturing global attention today.
In this section, we’ll trace the key milestones that have shaped Chinese wine, from its origins over 11,000 years ago to its modern revival. By connecting pivotal moments across history, you’ll gain a clear understanding of how China’s wine landscape became what it is today.
This section dives into the unique realities of Chinese viticulture, from extreme climates and vine burial practices to the challenges and opportunities of new latitudes. You’ll explore the evolution of grape varieties (from Bordeaux-inspired classics to rising stars like Marselan and Cabernet Gernischt) and discover how China is now boldly shifting toward a true expression of terroir.
This forth section explores the Chinese wine market, from branding and sales dynamics to local positioning and export ambitions. You’ll also uncover the deeper cultural contrast between a 5,000-year tea legacy and the rapid rise of fine wine, where centuries of prestige are being built in just decades.
This section takes you into the geography of Chinese wine, mapping out its key regions and emerging sub-regions. You’ll gain a clear understanding of how diverse landscapes and climates shape the country’s evolving terroir.
ShanDong
Deep dive into Shandong, the birthplace of modern Chinese wine and a cornerstone of China’s coastal wine history. From Qingdao to Yantai-Penglai, QiuShan Valley, and Weihai-Rushan, you’ll explore the regions shaping its distinctive maritime wine identity.
HeBei / BeiJing
Dive into the Hebei and Beijing wine regions, set against the majestic backdrop of the Great Wall, uncovering key areas like Zhoulu, Huailai, Changli, and Fangshan. You’ll discover how pioneering plantings, including the country’s first Marselan vines, are shaping the identity of northern Chinese wines.
XinJiang / NeiMengGu
Explore the vast and extreme terroirs of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, from the Ili Valley and Yanqi Basin to the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and Wuhai. You’ll uncover how these remote regions are pushing the boundaries of Chinese winemaking, with Central Asian-influenced landscape shaped by Silk Road heritage and fertile desert oases.
NingXia
Discover now Ningxia, China’s flagship wine region, from the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains to key areas like Yinchuan, Qingtongxia, and Zhongwei. Steeped in history and poetic legacy, the Helan Mountains now compose a new chapter with glorious vineyards that have made Ningxia the benchmark for premium Chinese wines.
DongBei
The Dongbei region, spanning Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning, is often overlooked but offers a completely distinct wine selection from other Chinese regions. Shaped by harsh climates, it produces resilient wines and rare, niche ice wines that offer adventurous wine enthusiasts a truly unique and rewarding discovery.
GanSu / Shanxi / ShaanXi
Delve into Gansu, Shanxi, and Shaanxi, from the remote, poetic landscapes of the Hexi Corridor to the historic heartlands of Shanxi and the emerging vineyards of Shaanxi. You’ll discover how Gansu’s mellow, aromatic wines, Shanxi’s storied heritage, and Shaanxi’s loess-soiled Pinot Noir together enrich China’s diverse wine tapestry.
North YunNan / Tibet / SiChuan
Explore the Southwest Highlands of China, including North Yunnan, Tibet, and Sichuan. From Shangri-La and Lijiang to Dali and Xiaojin, you’ll see how winemakers harness the rare, high-altitude terroirs, where tiny yields meet bold, distinctive flavors shaped by the mountains’ mystical, unforgiving conditions.
This final section wraps up the course by highlighting what makes Chinese wine truly unique, revisiting key regional highlights, and looking ahead to the future of this dynamic wine landscape.
You will be guided through a curated tasting lineup, offering a hands-on discovery of China's diverse and evolving wines.
Be among the first to explore the world of Chinese wines at a special pre-sale price. Offer ends May 31st.
Meet your educator
His story with Chinese wines: from zero to hero
Lionel Le Gal is a seasoned wine expert with over 25 years of experience, specializing in Chinese wines.
Lionel first arrived in China in 2001 and quickly immersed himself in the local wine scene, gaining hands-on experience with both imported and domestic wines.
Over the years, Lionel has worked with major wine importers, guided Chinese wineries in their commercial development, and explored key wine regions including Ningxia, Shandong, Hebei, Yunnan, and Xinjiang.
Through countless vineyard visits, harvests, and collaborations, he has witnessed and analyzed the rapid evolution and remarkable quality of Chinese wines.
Founder of VinEssentials, his consulting agency, Lionel combines deep industry knowledge with a personal, independent perspective, sharing accurate and insightful guidance to help Chinese wine curious understand and appreciate the complexity and richness of China’s wine landscape.
Chinese wines are a hidden treasure. Pre-order now to explore the course at a special rate (before May 31st).
FAQ section
You've got questions. We've got answers.
No. The videos are pre-recorded so that you can watch at your own pace and timezone.
Upon the release of the course by the end of the year 2026, you’ll get access to our online learning platform, where you can start the course anytime. Learn at your own pace, from any device. Pause, rewind, or speed through as you like.
No prior experience is required. Whether you’re new to Chinese wines or a seasoned enthusiast, this course is designed to guide you step by step to understanding the rich culture behind China’s finest wines. That being said, we do recommend checking out the Wine 101 Course if you’ve never experienced wine before.
There will be approximatively 15 to 20 hours of video recording that you can watch at your own pace.
Wines are not included in the course. We'll provide recommendations of wines that you can purchase by your own.
We are thinking of developing an additional offer with the recommended wines in a box. If interested, feel free to contact us.
No. You do not need to buy wine to successfully complete this course. If you’d like to purchase Chinese wines you may: we'll recommend some wine representative of each region.
Once you have completed 100% of the course, and upon request, you can be granted a certificate of completion of the course.
The presale gives you early access to our Chinese Wine Course at a special discounted price. You’ll be among the first to explore the full course content before it officially launches.
During the presale, you’ll reserve your access to the course content by completing the checkout process. Once the course officially launches, you’ll receive an email with access instructions so you can start learning immediately.
The course is scheduled to launch in Q4 2026. We guarantee a release before December, 31. After the launch, presale participants will receive priority access so you can start learning before the general public.
Yes. The presale price is a limited-time offer. After the official launch, the course price will increase to the standard rate. Lock in your discount now to save.
If the presale does not attract sufficient participants to move forward, the course will not be launched. In that case, everyone who purchased during the presale will receive a 100% full refund, no questions asked. Your payment is completely safe, and you will be refunded if the course doesn’t go ahead.
If for any reason you’re not completely satisfied with the course after it launches, you can request a full refund within 14 days after the release, provided you have completed no more than 30% of the course content. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we want you to feel confident in your learning journey.
· Be among the first to explore the world of Chinese wines at a special pre-sale price!
· Offer ends May 31st.
· The full course will be released by the end of the year 2026. Upon the release of the course, public sales price will increase at $350.
Hi, my name is Antoine.
Wine has always been a fascination topic in my life. When I was young, my father was putting a few drops of wine in my water glass on Sunday. I felt like I was an adult and wine was definitely a topic I wanted to know more about.
In 2018, I wanted to finally learn about wine. I created a podcast through which I interviewed the best wine makers, sommeliers and wine professionals. More than 100 interviews later, I'm now WSET3 certified and I'm now launching my academy to help you in your wine journey.
I moved to Hong Kong a year ago and started to develop an interest in Chinese wines. Often overlooked, I was surprised by how little information is available about them, especially given that their quality now rivals that of established wine regions.
I felt it was time to talk about Chinese wines and to build the most comprehensive course on the subject. To do so, I partnered with Lionel, a wine expert who has been living in China for decades and knows Chinese wines like the back of his hand.
Start now and get familiar with Chinese wines
While waiting for the course release, get initiated into Chinese wines through my videos and interviews: