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It’s no accident that the brand-conscious Chinese are eyeing investments in British Columbia’s wine industry: In less than 30 years, the sector has created some of the world’s most acclaimed wines by emphasizing quality over quantity.

With only 10,000 acres of vineyards, the industry is a tiny player in the global industry — Australia boasts single wineries with as many grape-bearing acres. (Ontario’s industry, Canada’s largest, has more than 15,000.)

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Yet B.C.’s 240 grape wineries scoop up huge numbers of international awards; more than 2,100 in 2013 alone.

“We are recognized officially as having some of the top wines in the world,” said Miles Prodan, executive director of the Kelowna-based British Columbia Wine Institute.

Grant Stanley, chief winemaker and partner at 50th Parallel Estate, an up-and-coming winery specializing in Pinot noir and Pinot gris, said winemakers from all over the world are relocating to the Okanagan to take advantage of its ideal conditions for high-end wines.