Despite a drop in wine sales this year, the China Wine Challenge showed just how popular the drink has become in potentially the world's leading market.

This year marked the fourth year of the competition, which ended on Friday, co-organized by Hilton Shanghai and Brown and Co Ltd, to select the best wines nominated by domestic wineries, importers and distributors.

Nine awards were handed out by a panel of international wine connoisseurs, led by Lynne Sherriff, chairperson of the Institute of Masters of Wine and David Wrigley, the international director of Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

The best champagne was won by the Pol Roger Brut Vintage Champagne from France. Jacob's Creek Chardonnay from Australia won Best Value White Wine.

Nine out of 200 or so entries this year were domestic wines.

Two trophies for Chinese wines were on offer.

The Best Red Wine went to Silver Heights the Summit and the Best White Wine went to Domaine Helan Mountain Special Reserve Chardonnay.

Both of these wines are from the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

“We are seeing very impressive Chinese wines this year," Wrigley said.

He believes that Chinese wine drinkers value wine more for taste than price and he sees the market growing rapidly.