A Chinese wine gift in Singapore does something a familiar label rarely manages: it gives the person opening it something to talk about. This guide covers when Chinese wine works as a gift, five bottles to ask about at Vinflow Wine Bar & Bistro, and how to take them home.
Finding unique wine gifts in Singapore usually means choosing between a famous name everyone has seen before and something obscure that needs a long explanation. Chinese wine sits in a useful middle ground. The grapes are ones your recipient probably knows, such as Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon, but the places are unexpected: the Helan Mountain foothills in Ningxia, Taigu in Shanxi, or the Himalayan highlands of Yunnan. It is part of our wider Chinese wine collection in Singapore.
Why give Chinese wine as a gift?
There are three practical reasons, and none of them depend on the recipient being a wine expert.
- It starts a conversation. A bottle from Ningxia or Shanxi invites questions, which is half the pleasure of receiving a gift.
- The grapes are familiar. A Riesling or a Chardonnay-based sparkling is an easy first step, so the gift feels thoughtful rather than a challenge.
- The story is easy to share. Each winery has a clear origin, from a German-trained founder in Ningxia to terraces at more than 2,200 metres in Yunnan. A line or two on the card is enough.
If your recipient is sceptical about wine from China, point them to is Chinese wine good? or let them taste first, as we suggest below.
Which occasions suit a Chinese wine gift?
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is a season of visiting relatives, friends and colleagues, and a bottle is an easy thing to carry along. Chinese wine suits the moment because it is Chinese in origin without being a cliché. If you plan to give several bottles, the Takeaway Wine Special below gives a better rate for 6 bottles and above. Our guide to Chinese wine and food pairing is handy if you want to suggest what to serve with the reunion table.
Hosts and dinner invitations
Arriving at a dinner with a bottle of Kanaan Riesling or a Marselan from Ningxia gives your host something that will not already be in the cellar. Choose a bottle that is enjoyable straight away rather than one that needs cellaring. If you are curious about the grape, read our guide to the Marselan grape.
Corporate and client gifts
For a corporate wine gift in Singapore, a Chinese wine tells the client you chose something specific rather than defaulting to the usual. A small mixed selection lets recipients with different tastes each find something, and an order of 6 bottles or more falls into the higher discount tier. To go one step further, hold a Chinese wine tasting evening for clients or your team in our private space; our private events page has the details.
Five Chinese wines to ask about, by occasion
The wines below are all on Vinflow's Chinese wine list. The notes are published tasting cues and typical grape profiles, not our own tasting assessment, and the picks are suggestions only. Wine selection, vintages and availability are subject to change, so please confirm with the team before you plan a gift.
An approachable introduction: Kanaan Riesling 2024
From Kanaan Winery in Ningxia, founded in 2011 by Wang Fang, who studied in Germany and invited German winemakers to Ningxia. Kanaan wines have been recommended by Jancis Robinson, Bernard Burtschy and Ian D’Agata. The Riesling is described as grapefruit, green apple and blossom, a fresh, easy-drinking style that suits a first Chinese wine and a casual host gift. It is also one of the four wines in the Premium Chinese Wine Flight.
A celebratory pick: Grace Vineyard Angelina Brut Reserve 2014
Grace Vineyard sits in Taigu, Shanxi, about 40 km south of Taiyuan on the loess plateau, and its wines have been praised by Jancis Robinson, James Halliday, Wine Spectator and Decanter. Angelina Brut Reserve 2014 is a Chardonnay sparkling with pineapple, toast and honey notes. Sparkling wine is the natural choice for a toast, whether for Chinese New Year, a promotion or a thank-you to a client.
A confident red for hosts and colleagues: Silver Heights Emma’s Reserve 2021
Silver Heights was founded in 2007 on the eastern slopes of the Helan Mountains, with vineyards at around 1,200 metres. Jancis Robinson has described it as a rising star of Chinese wine. Emma’s Reserve 2021 is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend, with dark fruit, freshness and oak. It is a familiar red profile for anyone who enjoys Bordeaux-style wines. Our Ningxia wine guide introduces the estate in more depth.
A statement bottle: Grace Vineyard Chairman’s Reserve 2018
Also from Grace Vineyard in Shanxi, Chairman’s Reserve 2018 blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with cherry, cassis and dried herbs. For a senior client, a milestone or a long-standing host, it is the one to ask about first. The winery has been praised by international critics, so the gift comes with a story.
Something different from Yunnan: Bauzuan Célèbre
Bauzuan plants small plots on terraced vineyards at more than 2,200 metres in the Himalayan highlands of Yunnan. We list two Célèbre wines: Célèbre White 2022, a Chardonnay with citrus, peach and fennel, and Célèbre Red 2018, a Cabernet Sauvignon with blackcurrant and dark fruit. Both suit someone who enjoys a bottle with an unusual origin, and the high-altitude terraces make for a good story. If you like geography, our guide to Chinese wine regions places Yunnan alongside the other six.
How does the Takeaway Wine Special work?
Vinflow runs a Takeaway Wine Special for bottles taken home: 15% off for 1 to 5 bottles and 20% off for 6 bottles and above. We do not publish bottle prices on the website. For current prices, which Chinese bottles are available and which vintages are in stock, message the team on WhatsApp at +65 8204 1618 or ask at the bar. Promotional terms, wine selection and availability are subject to change, and T&Cs apply; see our promotions page for the current details.
Can I taste before I give?
Yes, and it is a good idea. Several Chinese wines are poured at Vinflow, and three are currently on the tap wall: Chapter and Verse Select Chardonnay 2018 and Select Merlot 2016 from Hebei, and HUWEI “Zhuan” Marselan 2021 from Ningxia. Tap selection is subject to change and availability. You can also add the Premium Chinese Wine Flight to regular-priced free-flow ordered 5 to 8 pm for a $20++ top-up: four different Chinese wines, one glass each. The line-up is Kanaan Riesling 2024, Tiansai Skyline of Gobi Chardonnay Muscat 2023, Grace Vineyard Recalling The Year 2025 and Fei Tswei Lava Cabernet Franc 2021. Refills are not included, promotional packages are excluded, and the flight is subject to change. See the full wine list for the rest of the collection.
A few tips for choosing
- Start with the recipient’s taste. If they enjoy crisp whites, lean towards Riesling. If they like red, Cabernet blends are the safe route.
- Mix a few bottles for a group. A white, a red and a sparkling cover most preferences.
- Add a short note. One line about the winery’s origin turns a bottle into a story.
- Check availability early. Chinese New Year orders are best arranged ahead of time, since stock and vintages change.
Wine service and sales are for guests of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
Plan your visit
Vinflow is at 55 Keong Saik Road, #01-01, Singapore 089158, and open daily from 3 pm. Reservations are handled through OpenTable, and you can message us on WhatsApp for bottle enquiries. Wine selection, vintages and availability are subject to change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chinese wine gifts in Singapore
Is Chinese wine a good gift in Singapore?
It can be a memorable one. Most recipients have never opened a bottle from Ningxia, Shanxi or Yunnan, so it starts a conversation in a way a familiar label often does not. Choose a grape the recipient already likes, such as Riesling or Cabernet Sauvignon, so the bottle feels approachable as well as new.
Can I buy Chinese wine for Chinese New Year gifting at Vinflow?
Vinflow Wine Bar & Bistro lists 32 Chinese wines, and bottles can be taken away under the Takeaway Wine Special: 15% off for 1 to 5 bottles and 20% off for 6 bottles and above. Bottle prices, current availability and vintages are available from the team on WhatsApp at +65 8204 1618. Selection is subject to change.
Do you offer Chinese wine for corporate gifts?
Larger orders qualify for the 6-bottle-and-above tier of the Takeaway Wine Special. Message the team on WhatsApp to ask what is available. For a hosted client or team evening with Chinese wine, see our private events page.
Which Chinese wine suits someone new to wine from China?
Kanaan Riesling 2024 (grapefruit, green apple and blossom) and Grace Vineyard Angelina Brut Reserve 2014 (pineapple, toast and honey) are approachable styles built on familiar grapes. Tasting cues are published profiles, not our own assessment.
Can I taste before I give?
Yes. Several Chinese wines are served at Vinflow, and the Premium Chinese Wine Flight lets you compare four glasses for a $20++ top-up with regular-priced free-flow ordered 5 to 8 pm. Refills are not included and promotional packages are excluded.