China: Beijing, China: Shanghai, China: Xi'an, Wine We Drink

Wine We Drink: Chinese Rice Wine (Jiu)

Despite 2000 years of struggle to unify the country’s various peoples — from Emperor Qin’s forming of the Dynastic period to Mao’s forcing of the Cultural Revolution — there still is great division on one of the most important topics — wine. Ordering a glass of wine in this country is akin to Russian roulette with a .45 pointed at your taste buds. Depending on what region you are visiting and the ethnicity of the server you are ordering from you might get variations from a clear moonshine-like liquor to a cloyingly sweet grape-based wine beverage.