鴉片戰爭後，列強以大砲敲開中國大門，開啟現代國宴，清末李鴻章以汾酒宴請歐美皇室、高官。同期，日本明治維新，國策是脫亞入歐，國宴自始吃法餐，飲葡萄酒。
After Opium Wars, the Western powers expanded their influence into China. It led to modern state banquets. Li Hongzhang in the late Qing dynasty, used Fenjiu liquor to entertain European and American royalties and high-ranking officials. During the same period, Japan’s Meiji Restoration adopted a national policy of westernization. Since then, Japanese state banquets began serving French cuisine and wine.
民國以降，江浙蔣介石管治階層喝紹興黃酒，高度白酒則是勞動階層負擔得起的消愁酒。長征期間，鬧革命的窮苦紅軍於內陸轉移流竄，或受傷手術消毒，皆用白酒，造就出解放後白酒流行。
遵義會議、四渡赤水河等紅色基因使貴州茅台成為「國酒」。今天，市場經濟環境下，不許茅台自稱「國酒茅台」，但依然是四大國宴用酒，另外三間是汾酒、五糧液及珍酒。
建國初期，中國外交一面倒向老大哥蘇聯，茅台對撼北極熊伏特加，大派用場。此時，國宴場合多上三款酒——啤酒青島、白酒茅台及葡萄酒煙台味美思，後者是苦艾酒，素質平平，也不宜佐餐，但我國國宴，必定出國產東西，以示自給自足能力。
1972年，中美破冰，憑著茅台，兩國一酒泯恩仇，共同對抗伏特加。但從1984年起，外交部禮賓司將國宴規定四菜一湯，不上烈酒。背後概念一則避免酒後亂性（曾有阿爾巴尼亞外交官醉駕撞死人），二則節省糧食，不用之釀酒。茅台在國宴場合逐漸少見，代之而起，中國葡萄酒，當驚世界殊。
建國初期，葡萄酒歸屬於果酒類別，包括味美思、乾或甜型紅白酒、白蘭地。最早的和世界接軋的乾型白葡萄酒，1979年產于河北懷來縣。鄧小平主政後1980年，中法合資的王朝酒業于天津創立，之後鄧小平在人民大會堂吃阿一鮑魚，官宣開放走資。外國人材技術來華，國內專家化身海歸，40年超英趕美，汽車以前可做「出」紅旗，現在能夠做「好」比亞迪。同樣地，葡萄酒數量上升，質量幾何級上升。
國宴奉葡萄酒，以前乃張裕解百納（全國很多士多有售），現今飲河北沙城產區長城桑干。其他上過國宴的，包括長城五星、北京密雲區張裕愛斐堡、寧夏銀色高地、億眾、賀蘭魂、新疆鄉都……高中端酒都有，視乎場合。王朝、寧夏西夏王旗下外交使節則常用於大使館款待。
國宴是國貨最高宣傳平台。總結來說，國人飲國酒，理所當然，外國人飲國酒，指日可待。
During the Republic of China era, Chiang Kai-shek’s ruling class, who came from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, drank Shaoxing huangjiu; while strong baijiu was the affordable solace for the working class. During the Long March, the impoverished Red Army, which was constantly on the run across China’s interior, relied on baijiu, whether to uplift their spirits or to disinfect wounds during surgery. That was how baijiu became popular after liberation.
The Zunyi Conference, Four Crossings of the Chishui River etc made Kweichow Maotai recognized as the “National Liquor”. Today, under market economy regulations, the brand can no longer call itself “National Liquor”. Nevertheless, it remains one of the four official banquet liquors alongside Fenjiu, Wuliangye, and Zhenjiu.
In its early years, PRC’s diplomatic policy leaned heavily toward its “big brother” Soviet Union. To fend off polar bear’s vodka. Moutai came in very handy. At that time, state banquets typically featured three liquors: Tsingtao beer, Moutai baijiu, and Yantai vermouth. The vermouth was of modest quality and not a good pairing with food. It was included to showcase China’s self-sufficiency through domestically produced goods.
In 1972, Sino-American relations thawed. Ultimately, Maotai helped bridge the divide between the two nations, uniting them against “vodka”. However, from as early as 1984, the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had laid down new rules that state banquets were to feature four dishes and one soup, without any spirits. The rationale behind this policy is twofold: to prevent drunken misbehaviours (an Albanian diplomat once killed someone while drunk driving), and to conserve grain that would otherwise be used for distillation. Consequently, Maotai was gradually replaced by Chinese wines at state banquets, which would astonish the world.
In the early years of the People’s Republic, wine was grouped with fruit wine that included vermouth, dry or sweet red and white wines, and brandy. China’s first dry white table wine made to international standards appeared in 1979 in Huailai County, Hebei. In 1980, some time after Deng Xiaoping assumed leadership, the Sino-French joint venture Dynasty Fine Wine Limited was established in Tianjin. Later, when Deng savoured Ah Yat abalone at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, it signalled the beginning of opening up to the West. Foreign expertise flowed into China, while domestic specialists returned from overseas. Over 40 years, China surpassed Britain and caught up with the US. Where the automobile industry once struggled merely to produce a Hongqi limousine, it can now build world-class BYD electric vehicles. Similarly, wine production volume has increased, and the quality of the produce has improved exponentially.
State banquets once featured Changyu Cabernet (available at many tuck shops nationwide), while today Changcheng Sanggan from Hebei’s Shacheng region is served. Other wines graced at state dinners include Great Wall Five Star, Château Changyu Afip from Beijing’s Miyun District, Ningxia Silver Heights, Yizhong Winery, Helanhun, Xinjiang’s Xiangdu Winery, spanning mid-to-high-end tiers depending on the occasion. Wines from Dynasty Winery and “Diplomatic Envoy” under Ningxia’s Xixia King umbrella are frequently used for diplomatic receptions at embassies.
State Banquet is the ultimate stage to promote local products. It is only natural for the Chinese to drink their own brews. The day when foreigners follow suit will come soon.
