Shaoxing Rice Wine
Shaoxing Rice Wine is made in Shaoxing City-"China's Hometown of Wine", so it is also called Shaoxing Wine or Yellow Wine (for the sake of its color). Shaoxing Wine is one of China's eight traditional famous wines and has enjoyed a history of over 2,400 years. The wine is made from top quality polished glutinous rice, top quality wheat, and the pure water from Shaoxing's Jianhu Lake. It is noted for yellow color, mellow fragrance and taste. And with time goes by, the stored wine will become more fragrant.
Shaoxing Wine has won numerous prizes on international competitions. The wine is divided into various kinds, including "Jiafan", "Yuanhong", "Shanniang", "Huadiao", and "Xiangxue (Odorous Snow)". There is also an interesting convention in Shaoxing concerning the Yellow wine.It is said that in the old time, when a family born a baby, the father would put a pot of wine in the earth in the backyard. On the day when the son finished his education and was regarded as adult or on the daughter's wedding ceremony, the pot would be unearthed and feast the guests. Because of this tradition, the rice wine is also called "the no.1 wine" or "the daughter wine".
Shaoxing is one of five Chinese cities famous for wines. Shaoxing has a history of about 2,500 years making yellow-colored rice wine, which is labeled as Zhuangyuanhong (The Top Red), Jiafan (Rice Plus), Shanniang (The Excellence) and Xiangxue (Fragrant Snow). Crowned " The Best Wine in Asia", the Shaoxing wine in the brand of "Ju Yue Long Shan" is now included in the wine list of state banquets hosted by central government leaders. The leading producer and exporter of rice wine in China, Shaoxing makes 250,000 tons of wine a year.
Source:http://www.enonline.sh.cn/CClook.asp?id=10927