Sip superior Cabs and Pinot Noirs amongst jade-and-river-stone buildings in the Qinling Hills. Plus: Where to eat and stay nearby.
Qingyun Ma, China’s most influential architect (and a USC architecture dean), is winning acclaim not only for the contemporary-meets-traditional structures at his winery and resort in the Qinling mountains, near the site of the 2,200-year-old Terracotta Army, but also for the quality of his Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir (the renowned critic Jancis Robinson called the 2006 vintage “inspiring”). For the buildings, Ma hired local craftsmen to employ traditional methods—one villa was made from tumbled stone from the Bahe River. In the winery’s Well Hall, walnut ceilings, glass stairwells, and stone floors are embellished with intricate jade sculptures.
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Where To Eat
In nearby Xi’an, you’ll find an underground music scene and Lao Sun Jia, a 114-year-old restaurant famous for its yangrou paomo stew.
Where To Stay
At the Well Hall, though Ma is adding two hotels to his resort.
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