Wines from China's remote inland province of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region beat out those from France's famed Bordeaux region in a blind taste test held in Beijing last Wednesday.

A group of 10 experts, half Chinese and half French, compared five wines from each region of similar price, ranging from 200 yuan to 500 yuan, or roughly $30 to $70.

After nearly an hour of sipping and swishing, the judges reached a verdict that Ningxia dominated the top five favored wines - four from Ningxia, an arid, landlocked region where some of China's best wines are emerging.

The top-ranking one was the 2009 Chairman's Reserve from China's Grace Vineyards, a Cabernet Sauvignon with a bold, oaky flavor. Its retail price is between 450 to 500 yuan, or roughly $70 to $80.

The only Bordeaux was a 2009 Saga Medoc from the Barons de Rothschild Collection, a lighter, fruitier red.