Missouri's oldest winery, Mount Pleasant, has begun exporting wine and vintage port to China for the first time.

Mount Pleasant recently shipped 900 cases of Vidal Chardonnay, Pink Catawba, Claret, Villagio, Rhineland, Vintage Port and Norton to Shenzen.

While China is known for its love of Bordeaux wines, particularly Lafite, the news perhaps suggests a growing trend in the country to explore what the New World has to offer.

"The contacts I made in China loved the Norton grape," commented Chuck Dressel, the winery's president.

"They were impressed by how it was uniquely American and, of course, its bold and rich flavors of berries and oak."

Two more shipments to China have been scheduled for the rest of the year, valued at around $225,000 (£144,000) each.

Mount Pleasant was forced to close when the prohibition era hit the US in 1920, prompting the removal of all its wines. It did not reopen until 1966.