Customers enjoy barbecue with wine at a restaurant in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 13, 2026.(Xinhua/Xie Jianwen)

YINCHUAN, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- As night falls, a barbecue restaurant in the bustling Jinfeng District of Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, comes alive.

Xia Wen sat around a table with her friends, enjoying a unique sensory experience: taking a bite of sizzling, golden-brown mutton skewers followed by a sip of deep ruby-red wine. This delightful pairing on the palate warmed both the conversation and the chilly winter evening.

"I really enjoy the savory richness of the grilled meat and the refreshing crispness of the dry red," said the 40-year-old. "I used to think grape wine should be reserved for steaks on very formal occasions. I never imagined it could pair so well with barbecue skewers."

In traditional Chinese dining culture, barbecue is usually paired with beer, while daily meals often accompany baijiu, or Chinese liquor. As consumer preferences shift towards higher quality, Ningxia wines, which are gaining increasing recognition, are now appearing more frequently on dining tables across the country.

With its dry climate and abundant sunshine, Ningxia, particularly the vast area at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain, is widely considered a "golden zone" for viticulture and premium wine production. As China's largest wine region, Ningxia now has over 600,000 mu (about 40,133 hectares) of vineyards and is home to over 200 domestic and international wineries, collectively producing 140 million bottles of wine annually.

However, despite garnering over 1,000 international awards, marketing has long been the industry's biggest challenge. In recent years, Ningxia has made concerted efforts to integrate wine with cultural tourism by establishing wine-tourism towns, hosting wine-themed marathons, and building wine-centric countryside hotels and campsites. This initiative helps local wineries draw over 3 million visitors annually, generating an annual total revenue of 45 billion yuan (approximately 6.48 billion U.S. dollars).

"Every tourist is a potential wine consumer," said Shen Liping, general manager of the Ningxia International Wine Trade and Expo Center. "The key is making our wine culture more appealing and our wines more accessible."

Consequently, the regional government is making a concerted effort to create new consumption scenarios that blend wine with cultural tourism, cuisine, education, and leisure, making wine culture visible, tasteable, and experiential. Since December 2025, an official pilot program has been launched to promote local wines across 100 restaurants, directly connecting wineries with everyday consumers.

According to Shen, the participating restaurants include hotpot spots, barbecue joints, private kitchens, and other popular dining formats, with the aim of providing an immersive and comprehensive wine-tasting experience.

"Tourism today is no longer just about sightseeing. It's about all-around experiences, including food and lifestyle," Shen added. "Many visitors know Ningxia produces good wine, but aren't sure where to enjoy it or how to appreciate it. We want to ensure that every visitor can savor the scenery, cuisine, and wine in a single, seamless journey."

Ma Liang was among the first to join the pilot program. A wine enthusiast, he manages a wine-themed hotel in Yinchuan where guests from around the world can sample hundreds of fine wines from more than 50 wineries in Ningxia. His professional culinary team expertly pairs wines with local specialties such as beef and lamb to delight and impress visitors.

"Through carefully curated pairings, we transform these Ningxia flavors into a cultural feast, exploring a new path for wine tourism," Ma said.

"Perhaps in the near future, wine will become as commonplace as coffee. That's when visitors can truly appreciate the charm and romance of Ningxia wine," Ma added.

Indeed, new dining trends, such as pairing wine with hotpot or barbecue, are gaining traction in Yinchuan. Xia told Xinhua she often brings a bottle of wine to hotpot restaurants.

"I order a clear broth, add a bit of red wine first, and then put the meat in, which makes it more tender," she said. "It's a wonderfully convenient and impressive way to treat out-of-town friends to hometown flavors."

Zhang Desheng, a 51-year-old barbecue restaurant owner, has noticed more customers like Xia opting for wine with their grilled dishes. "Some started bringing their own wine about three years ago," Zhang recalled.

During last year's fifth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo, Zhang was invited to grill skewers for over 500 international guests, and tasted several world-class wines for the first time. Foreigners' praise for Ningxia lamb skewers, paired with wine, filled him with pride, and the combination itself was a revelation.

"A bite of meat followed by a sip of wine is truly enjoyable," Zhang said. "I immediately thought of introducing wine in my restaurant to turn both new and regular customers into loyal fans," he said.

According to Shen, the program helps restaurants lower procurement costs and benefits customers with official subsidies, effectively turning every restaurant into a distributor for Ningxia wines and every customer into an ambassador for its wine culture.

"We've issued subsidies worth about 600,000 yuan within half a month, stimulating roughly 2 million yuan in wine sales," Shen said. "Ultimately, we aim to energize the local wine industry by deepening its cultural roots and elevating the consumer experience." ■

Zhang Desheng (L), a 51-year-old barbecue restaurant owner, takes a photo with an international guest during the fifth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, June 12, 2025.(Xinhua)