Why are there so many bare-breasted European women at Chinese wineries?

In reviewing some of the thousands of photographs from my last few China wine country trips, I noticed lots of bare- breasted European women standing around at many of the chateaux. Do they look somewhat out of place in China?

This bare-breasted beauty greets the tourist at Dynasty Winery's Tianjin Chateau in Tianjin municipality, China. Also note that the Chinese love to lift ideas from other cultures, like the Louvre glass Pyramid in the Chateau courtyard. Perhaps it is a nod to French partner, Remy-Martin as Dynasty Winery is a Sino-French joint venture.

OK, she isn't topless as promised. This lovely lady with a semi-Mona Lisa smile and skin-hugging dress is part of an all female crew which has been stomping grapes for years in the Grape Maiden Plaza at Chateau Changyu-Castel.          The Chateau is a Sino-French joint venture between China's oldest, largest and most famous winery, Changyu, and Groupe Castel of France, one of the top three wine companies in the world.             To meet this woman yourself, just head to Beiyujia Village just out of Yantai in Shandong Province.

This bare-breasted beauty holds her basket of grapes in the garden at Dynasty Winery's Tianjin Chateau in Tianjin municipality and province, China. Dynasty Winery is a Sino-French joint venture with the French producer, Remy-Martin.

These woman holding empty ceramic pots must be waiting for their wine allotment in the courtyard at Chateau Changyu Moser XV at the edge of Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.

The statues are right out there for all visitors to see. But I wonder why these wineries show so many provocative females in a country where censoring pornography is a government priority?  

And why just western women? Why not Chinese? Don't the Chinese appreciate Chinese women?

This nearly-naked European beauty lies at Dynasty Winery's Tianjin Chateau in Tianjin municipality and province, China. Dynasty Winery is a Sino-French joint venture with the French producer, Remy-Martin.

Behind the squirting water, lightly-clad women watch wedding photographers work with a newly hitched couple behind the fountain at Chateau Changyu Moser XV on the outskirts of Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China,

This curvy maiden somehow lost her hand while showing off her shapely leg at the local government-owned estate Chateau Lanny (Lanyi), near Yinchuan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, China. The grape vine springing from her head seems to be a local phenomenon.

The 630 million yuan (US$103 million) Changyu Chateau Baron Balboa, with its 6,000-square-meter cellar and production facilities, would not be complete with out some scantly- clad maidens. Obviously, the desciplined workers are focused on their tasks. This is the fifth chateau for China's largest wine producer, Changyu. Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China.

Perhaps you the reader could help me solve the mystery.  Could it be that almost all Chinese wineries are CEOed by Chinese men? (Grace is an exception.)

Are there so many bare-breasted women at wineries in other countries?

Definnitely alive, this dancer was performing at joint-venture Chateau Changyu-Castel winery as part of the Yantai International Wine Festival, Yantai, Shandong Province, China.  Just as a side note, all of the Changyu executives I know are male.

Wineries in China's hottest wine region, Ningxia.

              
      Changyu Moser XV, Ningxia

Night-time light show at Chateau Changyu Moser XV in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Changyu believes in educating visitors at Chateau Changyu Moser XV in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Changyu provides a Disney-like experience at Chateau Changyu Moser XV in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

  

Moët Hennessy's Domaine Chandon Ningxia

Moët Hennessy broke ground on April 2012 on Domaine Chandon Ningxia of this modern winery in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Formal dinning room at Domaine Chandon Ningxia in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

     Silver Heights Winery, Ningxia

Tired of depending on local farmers, Emma Gao and her family of Silver Heights Winery have purchased land parcels near Helan Mountain to plant their own vineyard Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

While French-trained winemaker Emma Gao is in a business meeting, her winemaker husband Thierry Courtade and her father, Gao Lin proudly hold a photograph of their family-owned Silver Heights winery in the newly-released China The New Wine Frontier book. Far right is author and photographer of the book, Janis Miglavs. Silver Heights is located in urban Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

 Chateau Yuanshi Winery, Ningxia

Chateau Yuanshi (Yuan Shi) Winery designed in local Chinese architecture and build from local stone near Yinchuan, in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Worker filling French oak barrels at Chateau Yuanshi Winery near
Yinchuan, in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

             Ningxia Chateau Lilan Winery

French-trained Chinese winemaker Deng Zhongxiang, sits under illustrations of the Ningxia Lilan Winery currently under construction near Yinchuan, in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Chateau Lilan Winery currently under construction near Yinchuan, in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Ningxia Chateau Lanny Winery and Resort

Local government-owned estate chateau Lanny (sometimes seen incorrectly spelled Lanyi) Winery and Resort near Yinchuan, in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Ningxia XiXiaKing Chateau Yuquan Winery 

Chinese style Yuquan International Wine Chateau of Xixia King near Yinchuan in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Lobby of newly opened hotel next to Xixia King Chateau Yuquan near Yinchuan, in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

COFCO's Great Wall Winery, Ningxia

COFCO's Great Wall Winery at the base of Helan Mountain in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Ningxia Daylong Winery

With it's fairytale castle-like architecture, Ningxia Daylong Winery, run by the Thailand-based Daysun Investment group, has Helan Mountain as a background, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Changyu Thinks Bigger than Disneyland

Changyu, officially China's oldest winery—though Zhang Bishi founded the winery in 1892, that was long after adventurous French monks planted productive vines and made wine in remote mountainous Cizhong village in Yunnan province—has big wine plans. 

 Changyu started with industrial-sized facilities scattered throughout Yantai city, in Shandong province.

Then they partnered with the French to build Changyu-Castel in Yantai in 2002 and with the Canadians for Château Changyu Ice wine in northern Liaoning Province and Changyu Kely Estate in New Zealand. 

 And then came the Disney-like marketing effort called Chateau Changyu AFIP Global.  

Besides, these facilities, the company is building three other chateaus—Changyu Baron Balboa in Xinjiang Uygur province, Changyu Moser XV in Ningxia province and Changyu Reina in Shaanxi—planed to open in 2013. Adding to this armada of wineries, Changyu  announced at the end of June plans to build a “wine city” in Yantai.  Blueprints call for the 413 ha facility to have a research institute, wine production center, vineyards, an international wine trading center and, of course, a “European-style village.”

Obviously Changyu feels it has a winning formula with the European-style villages as wine tourism destinations. Back at AFIP, even the adjoining estate vineyard serves dual purposes, both as a source of wine grapes and as a scenic experience with the Yan shan Mountains in the background. A young couple stroll hand in hand through the vineyard on the two-kilometer long street-wide concrete walkway with a lacy metal arched overhang. They giggle and photograph themselves with iPhones near tight clusters of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes hanging ready for harvest.


Changyu just might have the winning wine formula—by combining entertainment, education and tasting—for luring Chinese to wine. 

Which is the best China Winery book cover?

Which cover do you like best for the China Winery book I just finished writing last Wednesday?

This is the cover I sent as a suggestion.

The covers below are ones the Chinese designer submitted.

Chinese Designer Cover #1

Chinese Designer Cover #2

Chinese Designer Cover #3

China: The Wild New Wine Frontier

This is Chateau Huadong Parry in Shandong Province. General Manager thinks that for China, this winery is too small.