Chinese wine exports reached $75 million in the first half of the year, tripling from last year. Emma Gao founded Silver Heights in Ningxia in 2007, and her wines are now served at top restaurants in New York, Milan, and London. Domestic consumption fell by half from 2020 to 2025, but exports grew to a third of her business.

Gao studied in France, and after a frustrating job at a large producer, she and her father started their own winery with $45,000. Despite challenges like harsh winters and sandstorms, Silver Heights has become a rare success story, with bottles retailing from $20 to $200.