Meldung vom 11.03.2026
When Emmanuel Macron received an impressive six-liter bottle of Château Longyu L 12 at Wine Paris, it caused quite a stir in the international wine scene. The French President expressed his admiration for the quality of Chinese wines – and the L12 is considered their most spectacular ambassador. In May, China’s most successful icon wine will return to Europe as a strictly limited edition – and is already earning praise from experts across the industry.
VIENNA, March 2026.
There are wines that represent a region. And then there are wines that bring an entire country onto the international stage. Château Longyu L12 undoubtedly belongs to the latter category: this iconic red from Ningxia is now regarded as the flagship of modern Chinese winemaking – and as one of the most exciting challengers to the great international cult wines.
Following its widely noted presentation at Wine Paris – where Changyu CEO Mr. Sun Jian presented a six-liter bottle to French President Emmanuel Macron – the wine is once again generating discussion. Macron expressed his admiration for the quality of Chinese wines and emphasized that China today plays a serious role in the global wine world.
At the center of this development stands the L12. As the flagship of Château Longyu Estate, it embodies the ambition to position Chinese wine alongside the world’s greatest icons. And how successfully it does so.
A Wine That Wins Blind Tastings and Impresses Experts
That this ambition is more than just an ambitious vision becomes clear time and again in blind tastings. In 2021, the L12 was included in a high-profile tasting panel organized by the international trade magazine The Drinks Business, alongside wines such as Château Lafite Rothschild 2021, Penfolds Grange 2020, and Opus One 2021.
The result attracted considerable attention: the wine received the same score as Château Lafite Rothschild – a remarkable signal for the international wine scene.
“The L12 is the star of every blind tasting,” says Lenz Maria Moser, who has been acting as a bridge between China and Europe for two decades and has played a key role in the development of the project. “Many tasters expect a classic Bordeaux – and are surprised when they discover that the wine actually comes from Ningxia.”
Heinz Velich, one of Austria’s most renowned winemakers, was equally impressed after a blind tasting:
“This wine proves that China is already as good as the very top of the world.”
Stefan Neumann, Master Sommelier based in London and with more than 15 years of experience working with some of the most prestigious restaurants and hotels, is also convinced by the L12:
“Refined and precise, with great elegance and an impressive demonstration of how seriously Ningxia can produce great red wines. A wine that unquestionably deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the best red wines in the world.”
Dutch Master of Wine Cees van Casteren is equally enthusiastic:
“Chateau Changyu Moser XV Longyu L12 perhaps illustrates most impressively the enormous leap forward Chinese wine production has made within just a few decades. L12 is a blend from the finest Cabernet Sauvignon parcels in Ningxia and impresses with its vibrant fruit and distinctive minerality.”
Ningxia – The New Terroir of Great Red Wines
L12 is produced at Château Longyu Estate in the Ningxia wine region, at the foot of the Helan Mountains at around 1,100 meters above sea level. The dry desert climate, large temperature differences between day and night, and sparse soils composed of silt, sand, clay, and river gravel create particularly small, highly concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon berries.
Small in numbers: while “normal” berries weigh about 1.6 grams, those in Ningxia weigh no more than one gram. But they deliver full power.
“The berries are extremely small and concentrated – they produce enormous density and at the same time remarkable elegance,” says Moser.
The blend consists of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Marselan. The grapes are hand-harvested in small 20-kilogram boxes and vinified after temperature-controlled fermentation at 25–30°C. The wine then matures for 24 months in new French barriques, giving it depth, structure, and significant aging potential.
A Style That Surprises
In the glass, L12 presents itself in deep ruby red with violet reflections. The bouquet is layered and complex: cassis, cherries, plums, and raspberries combine with mocha, spices, tobacco, vanilla, and fine cedar.
On the palate, the wine is both powerful and precise, with silky-structured tannins, balanced acidity, and remarkable length.
With 15% alcohol and a pH value of 3.67, the wine possesses a structured profile built for long aging. At the estate, blending is done according to structure rather than aromas.
An Icon with International Ambition
L12 is part of the ambitious quality strategy of Château Longyu. Together with Purple Air Comes from the East, it forms the qualitative spearhead of the estate, which in Europe continues to be known under the name Changyu Moser XV.
At the same time, the team around Mr. Jiang Sun and Lenz Maria Moser is working on a new quality program titled “Let the Berries Speak.” The goal is to further highlight the individuality of Ningxia’s terroir and refine the stylistic signature of the wines – with fruit and elegance as the guiding mantra.
Limited Edition for Europe
Demand for L12 on the Chinese domestic market is enormous: around 130,000 bottles are produced and sold each year. For Europe, however, the wine remains a rarity.
The upcoming edition will be available only in strictly limited quantities, making each bottle a highly sought-after collector’s item.
Retail price: €260
Distribution
Austria: WTG Parndorf
Germany: Bosfood Meerbusch
Switzerland: Mövenpick
UK: Berry Bros. & Rudd (BBR) and Enotria