Emma Gao is a Chinese

oenologist Oenology (also enology; ) is the science and study of wine and winemaking. Oenology is distinct from viticulture, which is the science of the growing, cultivation, and harvesting of grapes. The English word oenology derives from the Greek word ' ...

, who is the chief

winemaker A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes: *Cooperating with viticulturists *Monitoring the maturity of grapes to ensure their quality and to deter ...

at Silver Heights winery, one of China's most prestigious vineyards.

Biography

Born in China, Gao moved to France in 1999, aged 21, to study

oenology Oenology (also enology; ) is the science and study of wine and winemaking. Oenology is distinct from viticulture, which is the science of the growing, cultivation, and harvesting of grapes. The English word oenology derives from the Greek word ' ...

at the

University of Bordeaux The University of Bordeaux (French: ''Université de Bordeaux'') is a public university based in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It has several campuses in the cities and towns of Bordeaux, Dax, Gradignan, Périgueux, Pessac, and Ta ...

, where she was awarded a Diplome National d’Oenologue. She subsequently worked at

Château Calon-Ségur Château Calon-Ségur is a winery in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Bordeaux wine region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fourteen ''Troisièmes Crus Classés'' (Third Growths) in the historic Bordeaux Wine Offi ...

, where she met her future husband, Thierry Courtade. She returned to China in 2004, first working at a winery in

Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...

, then working in wine sales in Shanghai. In 2007 she and her father founded Silver Heights winery on land he was already cultivating in

Ningxia Ningxia (,; , ; alternately romanized as Ninghsia), officially the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR), is an autonomous region in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. Formerly a province, Ningxia was incorporated into Gansu in ...

. By 2018 Silver Heights had become known as a "leading boutique winery". Gao's first vintage as chief winemaker was praised by Chinese and international winemakers, and two of her

red wines Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-colored grape varieties. The color of the wine can range from intense violet, typical of young wines, through to brick red for mature wines and brown for older red wines. The juice from most purple gra ...

are among the best known produced in China. They are a

Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon' ...

‘Emma’s Reserve’ and a Bordeaux blend ‘The Summit’. Dubbed a 'micro-vineyard' Silver Heights produces 40,000 bottles of wine each year. In 2017 Gao began to convert their winemaking processes to purely biodynamic ones. In 2020 the company made its first exports to the UK, US, Singapore, Belgium, Demark and Italy. Pioneer of Chinese wine, Gérard Colin, stated that Gao is "considered the best winemaker, with practically the best wine, in all of China". Gao has spoken out about how the

climate crisis ''Climate crisis'' is a term describing global warming and climate change, and their impacts. The term and the alternative term ''climate emergency'' have been used to describe the threat of global warming to humanity (and their planet), and to u ...

is affecting

wine production Winemaking or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. The science of wine and w ...

, in particular causing damage to the vines due increasingly harsh winters.

References

External links

Meet the Winemaker - Emma Gao - Silver Heights Winery, China

Uncorked: Emma Gao of Silver Heights
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gao, Emma Living people Oenologists Chinese wine Winemakers People from Ningxia University of Bordeaux alumni 1978 births