00:00I'm doing white tasting here in Tibet. Guinness says it's the highest commercial vineyard in the world at around 3
00:06,600 meters.
00:07This was once a barren desert home to nomadic herders.
00:11Today, the winery is churning out thousands of bottles of aromatic Chardonnay and Vidal ice wine with a distinctive terroir
00:18of fruity and earthy overtones.
00:21That flavor profile comes from the extreme temperatures and environment the grapes grow in.
00:26It's also part of a broader transformation in China's frontier regions.
00:30It's my first time back in Tibet in more than three decades, with armed soldiers and immense poverty replaced by
00:36tech surveillance and growing prosperity.
00:39Tibet is trying to capitalize on the growing popularity of Chinese wines.
00:43And for Tibet, it's not just about boosting tourism, but it's also to create more jobs and to diversify into
00:49industries beyond the traditional ones like herding and agriculture.
00:53The winery has yet to turn a profit, but that may be beside the point.
00:57Beijing has poured billions of dollars into Tibet over the past decade, constructing railways, highways, and energy projects.
01:04It's part of a broader effort to bind frontier regions to the country's economic and cultural mainstream and promote ethnic
01:11unity.
01:12But like its normal neighbor, Xinjiang, Tibet still faces religious restrictions and tight security.
01:18For now, though, workers in Tibet welcome all this new investment that's helping to alleviate poverty and increase incomes.
Comments