When Maria Ponce left Chile's wine valleys for northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in 2021, she anticipated a brief professional detour. Three years later, the Helan Mountains' sun-drenched slopes have become her canvas for redefining winemaking in Asia.
"The diurnal temperature swings here create grapes with intense flavor profiles," Ponce explains, her hands gesturing toward terraced vineyards. "We're not replicating Bordeaux or Napa Valley – we're writing Ningxia's own chapter in wine history."
Her journey mirrors the region's rapid viticultural ascent. From May 2024 data, Ningxia hosts 30 specialized wine exporters, with overseas sales hitting $1.92 million this year. Local vintners credit this growth to unique terroir and cross-border collaborations like Ponce's initiative.
Beyond economics, Ponce emphasizes cultural exchange: "Every harvest teaches me how altitude and loess soil interact here. When I share these lessons with South American vintners, it creates a dialogue no textbook could offer."
As autumn gilds the Helan foothills, Ponce checks ripening grapes, her initial six-month plan now transformed into an open-ended exploration of Ningxia's oenological potential.
