05.09.08
Posted in Huiqin Ma at 3:33 pm by admin
By Ma Huiqin
(The translation below first appeared here. The original interview in English is here.)
我的朋友Jim Boyce在3月5日采访了英国的葡萄酒大腕Jancis Robinson 原文见：http://www.grapewallofchina.com/page/3/，我的两个三年级的本科生赵丹和刘茜做了翻译，我对文稿进行远不完美的审阅和校对，我想这样的交流有利于我们跨过语言的障碍，倾听不同的声音。
昨晚，我在北京港澳中心瑞士酒店的Flow休闲吧对来自英国的著名葡萄酒作家简妮丝·罗宾逊（Jancis Robinson）进行了短暂的访谈。罗宾逊女士拥有一个广受欢迎的葡萄酒网站（Web site），她还为《金融时报》每周撰写一篇专栏，负责《牛津葡萄酒词典》的编辑工作，并且和另一位世界知名的葡萄酒作家休·约翰逊合作撰写了《世界葡萄酒大全》一书。
问：在本次访问中国期间，您在葡萄酒领域发现了什么变化吗？
答：这是我第三次来中国，三次访问分别在2002、2003和今年。我有点失望，因为在我看来中国葡萄酒的品质并没有进一步的提高。酒在风格上仍是波尔多一般葡萄酒的稀释版，而这种类型的酒是目前世界上最难卖的。
上海米氏餐厅Marcus Ford和他的朋友组织了一场有15款红葡萄酒的盲品。我想说的是它们都不是能让我眼前特别一亮的葡萄酒，尽管有三四个还算相当不错。出于我对中国人的工作态度和决心的信任，我曾经希望，这些酒会展示出最近五年来的进步，但结果并非如我所期待。
问：您去过中国的哪些葡萄酒产区，它们是否与您的预想相同？
答：我2003年去过新天和几个河北的酒厂，昨天去了怡园。当然，西部地区的地形是完全不同的。
从规模上来说——新天有大面积的葡萄园，那些农户的葡萄园看起来不是为农民所有，而是归新天所有，而怡园酒庄周边有农民承包的土地。
问：你对中国葡萄酒和所使用的酿酒葡萄品种的总体印象是什么？
答：说到葡萄品种，除了赤霞珠和美乐你很难尝到其它的。说实在的，我想不出还有哪个国家像这样拥有如此广大的葡萄栽培面积，却只种植了极少的品种。
最常见的葡萄酒的风格，干瘦干瘦的，红色而单宁感强，是最糟糕的配中国菜的酒。
问：您会给初涉葡萄酒的中国人什么样的建议？
答：我想说的是不要听信广告，而应该尝试多种不同风格的葡萄酒。根据你所吃的食物，可以尝试一款果香浓郁的白葡萄酒，甚至一款果香饱满的红葡萄酒。不要认为葡萄酒一定得是赤霞珠或者美乐品种。鲁信博士牌雷司令（美夏代理）的亲和性很好。不少业内人士告诉我，如果拿这款酒送人，人们会很喜欢。
笔记：我随身带了2003水晶干白和2005玫瑰蜜各一瓶，这两款酒都是云南红的产品，而且都是用杂交葡萄品种酿制的。鲁宾逊快评如下：玫瑰蜜配菜可能有一点偏甜，但是它在入门级的酒中是非常棒的。水晶干白的香气对我而言实在是太不熟悉了，非欧洲种葡萄的特点非常突出。
有关简妮丝·罗宾逊关于中国的更多信息，请参见‘中国的葡萄栽培与酿酒’The vinification of China和‘我的中国冒险 II’ My Chinese adventures - Part II。《城市周报快递》This City Weekend post包括一个博客空间以及对罗宾逊女士最近在上海国际文学节上讲话的记录。
感谢港澳中心瑞士酒店提供品酒的玻璃杯（顺便提一下，我发现在每周二、三、四下午5:30到7:3在Flow休闲酒吧会有买一增一特别的活动。）访谈结束后，我与酒店的 Dominik Hager 以及Nathan Wang 坐在一起，让他们品尝了这两款酒。他们俩都不喜欢水晶干白，觉得这款酒很奇怪（这款2003年的酒也许应该更早饮用，而且酒温也过高）。而对于玫瑰蜜，他们都认为其香气非常浓郁。王先生说这款酒酒体单薄，但作为清淡型的葡萄酒还可以。他品尝中国葡萄酒已经有超过十年的经验了，因此希望近期能够有机会采访他一下。
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Posted in Jim Boyce at 1:25 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
Formerly employed in the U.S. wine sector, Pat Fromm has been an active consumer in the Beijing scene. I asked her about her experiences both here and at home.
You worked in the U.S. wine sector before moving to China. What did you do?
When alcoholic beverages moved from state-owned to private sector in West Virginia, I was the first salesperson for the capital city of Charleston. I knew very little about wine so I enrolled in a wine appreciation course at the local college. Imagine, getting credit for tasting three to five wines in an evening! They were the most fun college credits I ever earned.
The successful introduction of wine to a state that was forty-ninth out of fifty in wine consumption depended on advertising and merchandising. I was involved in the merchandising and I let Bartles and Jaymes and their little red truck advertise to TV viewers.
In grocery stores, my responsibility was to convince retailers to cross-merchandise wine with every department in their stores. Fortunately, for my profit margins, we didn’t have those little tasting stands like they do here in China.
What’s your take on the availability and quality of wine and wine events here in Beijing?
It’s great to see so many tastings! It’s a great way to increase consumption and bring drinkers along to more sophisticated tastes.
I don’t clearly understand the wine import business here and often wonder why a particular grocery store can sell bottles of wine for less than the so-called “distributor.” It seems to me that the availability of wine here is more influenced by politics than by good wines. Albeit, I have no trouble finding a drinkable red wine almost anywhere.
The condition the wines are stored in is another story.
As a consumer, what would you like to see in the Beijing wine market?
Is reduced price asking too much? More Oregon and Washington state wines as well as some Pacific coast wineries from California. And more wine bars.
How many Chinese wines have you tried and what is your opinion of them?
I haven’t really kept a journal of Chinese wines and there are currently none in my preferred wine list. I do think they are developing, slowly but surely, as more and more foreign viticulturists and vintners are coming to China to manage growth and production.
What are your observations of local wine drinkers, whether in terms of consumers, acquaintances or friends?
My “friends” are definitely not wine snobs, and I, too, often look for what’s available in the bargain category. As for the acquaintances I party with, most bring along what’s cheapest in the local shop that night. Very few actually give much thought to how it goes with the food. That may change now that I’ve started a gourmet food group!
If someone new to Beijing asked you to recommend three wines that he or she could buy here, what would they be?
Of course I’d have to first ask, What do you like? My general recommendations, based on what I’m drinking now, would be:
• 2003 Hill of Gold Shiraz by Rosemont Estate
• The Reunion Mourvedre Shiraz and Grenache by Rutherglen
• Shiraz 2003 by Brookhampton
And the only interesting white I’ve had had in China - from Moet!
Pat Fromm: Good wine, good food, good times!
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05.07.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 8:10 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
Upcoming Beijing wine-related events
Thursday, May 8, 7-9 PM, Med (Block 8), RMB100
Ladies Wine Club, with Italian wines and five-course meal; contact Kristen at lum.kristen@gmail.com.
Thursday, May 8, 7-8:30 PM, Amigo (Central Park), free
Chilean wine festival, with 16 wines, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514.
Thursday, May 8, 7 PM, Prego (Westin Financial Street), RMB100 preregistered / RMB120 at door
Kim Crawford tasting, by ASC; RSVP at 6587-3808, x200.
Friday, May 9, 6:30 PM, Sequoia Cafe (Sanlitun), RMB 150
Pinot Noir tasting, with 4 wines and food; RSVP with Frank at 13701-178-073.
Friday, May 16, 7-8:30 PM, Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre Hotel), free
Henry Bourgeois wine tasting, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514.
Thursday, May 15, 7:30 PM, Bookworm, RMB180
Australian wine tasting, 6 wines from 3 regions, by The Wine Republic; RSVP at 5869-7050 / events@thewinerepublic.com.
Thursday, May 22, 7 PM, Cafe Europa, RMB180
Pinot Noir / Sauvignon Blanc tasting, by ASC; RSVP at 6587-3808, x200.
Thursday, May 22, 7 PM, Summer Palace (China World), RMB2008
“Road to Beijing” wine dinner and charity auction, 8 Chinese food-French wine pairings; auction of sports art and memorabilia (part of proceeds to Care for Children); RSVP at 6505-5838.
Friday, May 23, 7 PM, Aria, RMB1288
Guigal wine dinner, with the winery’s E. Guigal, by ASC; RSVP at 6587-3808, x200.
Saturday, May 24, Great Wall of China, RMB15888
Robert Parker wine dinner, by ASC; food by Blu Lobster; 8 wines rated 94+ by Parker; RSVP with Adam Steinberg at adamsteinberg@asc-wines.com.
Tuesday, May 28, 7 PM, Blu Lobster, RMB988
Alain Chabanon wine dinner, with winery owner Alain Chabanon, by East Meets West; RSVP with Blu Lobster (8882-6727) or EMW (6445-5797).
Friday, May 30, 7-8:30 PM, Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre Hotel), free
Deutz Champagne tasting, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514.
Note: To get a wine event listed, send event information, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.
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05.06.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 5:54 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
I joined six Chinese wine writers on April 26 for lunch with Chateau Latour GM Frederic Engerer. Organized by ASC at the Hyatt’s Made in China restaurant in Beijing, the event saw us try his 1995 and 2001 wines with Chinese dishes, including Beijing duck, and discuss Chateau Latour in particular and the wine industry in general. I asked him three things.
Has he tried any Chinese wine?
He said that regrettably he had not.
What does he think about China’s growing influence on the Bordeaux market?
He said that countries such as China are changing the customer base for Chateau Latour: “It’s going to be a different profile of customers.”
“We are not responsible for the tripling of prices,” he added. “It’s out of our hands. Our goal is to provide the best wine every year.”
What does he think of screw tops and has Latour experimented with them?
He reacted strongly to the issue of screw tops. He called them “artificial” and questioned how well wine will age with their use.
“If you make wine to drink in 18 months, then [screw tops are] wonderful,” he said, but added that corks are better for storage. “It’s not a matter of traditional versus modern. It’s understood that our wines last 50 years.”
He gave no indication that Latour had experimented with screw tops.
“Our goal is to get cork better. With screw tops, it’s a different product. They call it wine, but we don’t,” he said, and cited his displeasure with the screw top lobby.
He pointed at the wine we were drinking: “Do you want this wine touching something artificial?”
When asked about glass closures, he said that Latour used some of these with its 2000 vintage and would give the wine a try in 2010. He added that Latour used glass closures in the 1820s, 1830s, and 1840s.
As for the food and wine pairing, some of the initial dishes proved too spicy - particularly those from southwest China - so the “heat” was reduced for the remainder, with the Beijing duck being an OK match. On top of talking to a leading Bordeaux personality, trying new food and wine combinations added to the fun.
Note: The wines we tried were Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac, 2001; Chateau Latour Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac, 2001; and Chateau Latour Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac, 1995.
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05.05.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 5:43 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
The Friday night tasting (RMB100) at Sequoia Café in Sanlitun two weeks ago featured Chilean wines from Terra Mater. We worked our way through a Chardonnay, Merlot, Sangiovese and Zinfandel-Shiraz and two Sauvignon Blanc. My favorites were the Terra Mater Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (dry grass and crisp fruits on the nose, and a juicy body, though some found it too acidic) and Zinfandel-Shiraz 2005 (an 85-15 percent blend with a rich fruity - plum - nose, though the body came off as weaker than expected). Both wines cost RMB143 per bottle.
Other tasters liked the Reserve Sangiovese 2006 (ample fruit and a nice mouth feel, but it smelled a bit rubbery to me). Terra Mater wines are distributed by DT Asia.
Later that night I checked into the second anniversary of Cellar Le Pinot, a tightly designed and decently stocked wine shop near the Hyatt Hotel.
Some two dozens were available for tasting (RMB50) and the shop offered a 20 percent discount on all wines.
I bought two Chinese wines I have not seen before: a bottle of “Night” by Suntime (Xinjiang) and a bottle of “Vintage” wine, which I believe is an export-only brand using grapes from Xinjiang (the back label was in French and Dutch). I’ll put these bottles into a future blind tasting.
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04.30.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 4:21 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
Upcoming Beijing wine-related events
Friday, May 2, 6:30 PM, Sequoia Cafe (Sanlitun), RMB 100
Sparkling wine tasting; RSVP with Frank at 13701-178-073.
Tuesday, May 6, 7:30 PM, SALT (RMB488)
Altano Reserva wine tasting, with oenologist Jorge Nunes and a degustation menu, by Torres China; RSVP with Sophie at 5165-5519, x208 or sophie@torres.com.cn.
Thursday, May 8, 7-9 PM, Block 8’s Med, RMB100
Ladies Wine Club, featuring Italian wines and five-course meal; contact Kristen at lum.kristen@gmail.com
Thursday, May 8, 7-8:30 PM, Amigo (Central Park), free
Chilean wine festival, with 16 wines, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514
Friday, May 16, 7-8:30 PM, Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre Hotel), free
Henry Bourgeois wine tasting, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514
Saturday, May 24, Great Wall of China (RMB15888)
Robert Parker wine dinner, with menu by Blu Lobster; 8 wines rated 94 points or higher by Parker; RSVP with Adam Steinberg at adamsteinberg@asc-wines.com
Tuesday, May 28, 7 PM, Blu Lobster (RMB988)
Alain Chabanon wine dinner, with winery owner Alain Chabanon, by East Meets West; RSVP with Blu Lobster (8882-6727) or EMW (6445-5797).
Friday, May 30, 7-8:30 PM, Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre Hotel), free
Deutz Champagne tasting, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514
Note: To get a wine event listed, send event information, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.
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04.28.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 5:13 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
I joined Marc Curtis of China Wine Tours on March 24 for a visit to Chateau Bolongbao, just outside of Beijing. Curtis will bring his first tour group from the United States to China in October, with the planned itinerary including Beijing, Xian, Shanxi, Xinjiang, and Shanghai. Here are some photos from the visit, led by the winery’s Tang Jie.
A view of Chateau Bolongbao from the gate.
Given that Beijing winters can be quite cold, these vines are buried beneath 35-40 centimeters of soil in the fall and then uncovered in the spring.
A hilltop view of Bolongbao, which we were told produced its first Bordeaux-style wine in 2003.
This facility is being built next door to Bolongbao by a farmers collective and, from what I gathered, will make non-grape fruit wines.
Professor of Agriculture Zou Fulin (second left), with (from left) China Wine Tour’s Judy Zhao and Marc Curtis, and the winery’s Tang Jie. Zou says he knows Italian, French, Australian and American wine styles, and prefers Bordeaux.
Production for 2005, 2006, and 2007 was 110,000, 88,000, and 110,000 bottles respectively, says Zou.
Bolongbao uses oak barrels from France and the United States.
This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Merlot (20%), and Cabernet Franc (5%). We tried it decanted for 40 minutes. The body was clean, with some cherry and clove aromas, though I found it a bit oak-y.
“There is nothing in the flavor that turns me off,” said Curtis. “I’d be happy to serve it to people.”
The 2005 vintage is available for RMB198. Bolongbao wines are not available via retail shops, but can be ordered via the winery.
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Posted in Jim Boyce at 12:31 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
If you hear the words “wine humidor” and think of oak barrel displays, wooden shelves, and row upon row of top-end wine, you might be a tad disappointed by the Metro hypermarket on Beijing’s outskirts. This is a storage facility, plain and 
simple, with fluorescent lights, fabricated steel shelving, and a warehouse feel.
While I spotted wine such as Napa Valley Shafer and Barossa Valley Penfold’s Grange alongside ice wine and the usual Champagne suspects - a three-liter bottle of Veuve Clicquot is RMB2190 - the selection is lighter than I expected.
In terms of Chinese wine, options include Dragon Seal and Grace Vineyard Chairman’s Reserve 2005 (RMB388). But unlike the imported wines they are kept standing rather than on their sides. Why put them in storage if you’re not going to lay them down?
The constantly opening and closing sliding door also made me wonder how well the temperature and humidity is maintained.
Note: Spirits are also available at Metro, including Macallan 30-year-old single malt (RMB3999) and Remy Martin’s Louis XIII Grande Champagne Cognac (RMB12999 kuai), which the sales staff told me is a popular item. A ceramic bottle of 1955 baijiu goes for around RMB50000. German beer fans will find about about 10 brands in the store proper. To shop at Metro, you need to be a member.
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04.26.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 2:07 am by admin
By Jim Boyce
Wine writer Robert Parker makes his first trip to China next month and the price tag for the two dinners that ASC Fine Wines is organizing for him is nothing to sniff at: RMB15888 (USD2270) per head.
The Beijing dinner will be held on May 24 the Great Wall and catered by Brian McKenna, chef at Shangri-la Hotel restaurant Blu Lobster. The dinner, limited to 40 people, will include eight wines Parker rated 94 points or higher, with three at 100 points, including Chateau Haut Brion 1989 and Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2002.
The Parker dinner in Shanghai will be held on May 23 at Noble Seafood, carry the same price tag, and include eight other wines Parker has rated 94 points or higher.
Oh, and each attendee gets a copy of an autographed book by Parker, if you are looking for that little extra to make you plonk down your cash.
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04.23.08
Posted in Huiqin Ma at 11:21 am by admin
By Huiqin Ma
Campbell Thompson of The Wine Republic was a recent guest lecturer in my Wine Culture and Appreciation course at China Agricultural University, on the outskirts of Beijing near the Summer Palace. He presented on China’s wine market to about 120 students from universities throughout the city.
None of the students are in majors related to the wine business. They venture to the school every Saturday afternoon because they find wines attractive, mysterious and romantic - and want to know more about it. My course is an elective that started in 1999 and is open to university students in Beijing every spring semester. The same course is held in the fall every year for students from my university.
My philosophy on wine is accessibility, not exclusivity, so I ask people from different areas of the wine business to give presentations and thus expose my students to many voices. Along with businesspeople like Campbell Thompson, they include wine maker Li Demei, wine writer Frankie Zhao and Grace Vineyard CEO Judy Leissner. By listening to wine industry people, the students gain confidence and are encouraged to try different wines and different food and wine pairings. Enjoyment of wine arises from an individual’s own taste preferences, rather than a reliance on big names and famous regions.
International wines represent 50 percent or more of those included in each tasting. One reason is that the varieties and styles of Chinese wines are still very limited. The other reason is that for many students, the course is their first chance to taste foreign wines – this is a good opportunity to compare wines and talk about them with their peers.
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04.22.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 4:14 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
Upcoming Beijing wine-related events
Tuesday, April 22, 7 PM, Barolo (Ritz-Carlton Beijing), RMB488+15%
Giovanni Rosso wine dinner, with wine maker David Rosso; by East Meets West; RSVP with 6445-5797 (EMW), 5908-8151 (Ritz-Carlton)
Thursday, April 24, 7:30 PM, Cafe Europa, RMB180
Yering Station tasting with 4 wine-food pairings; by The Wine Republic; RSVP at 5869-5663 or 13910-097-621.
Thursday, April 24, 7 PM, CRU Steakhouse (JW Marriott), RMB888 + 15%
“Best of Bordeaux” wine dinner, with Saint Julien, Saint Emilion, Pessac Leognan, Pauillac and Pomerol, by ASC, RSVP with Helen Lu at 6418-1598, x226
Friday, April 25, 6:30 PM, Sequoia Cafe (Sanlitun), RMB 100
TerraMater tasting with 6 wines, with export manager Jose Montes; RSVP with Frank at 13701-178-073.
Thursday, May 8, 7-9 PM, Block 8’s Med, RMB100
Ladies Wine Club, featuring Italian wines and five-course meal; contact Kristen at lum.kristen@gmail.com
Thursday, May 8, 7-8:30 PM, Amigo (Central Park), free
Raminara (Chile) wine festival, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514
Thursday, May 16, 7-8:30 PM, Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre Hotel), free
Henry Bourgeois wine tasting, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514
Thursday, May 30, 7-8:30 PM, Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre Hotel), free
Deutz Champagne tasting, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514
Note: To get a wine event listed, send the event information, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.
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04.21.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 3:02 am by admin
By Jim Boyce
“If you hated mowing the grass as a youth, you might just hate Sauvignon Blanc.”
“There is so much stress on luxury goods that we would rather people not drink wine if it’s the ‘wrong’ brand.”
“Imagine you are trying to sell shoes and you don’t realize people have differently sized feet. If a shoe doesn’t fit someone, you wouldn’t tell them, ‘Well, your foot isn’t mature.’”
These are some of the intriguing comments made by Tim Hanni when he spoke to a small group of China wine industry people in JW Marriott’s Pinot Brasserie in Beijing on April 8. Hanni is a wine researcher and educator, one of the first two Americans to become a Master of Wine, a founder of Napa Seasoning and training company WineQuest, and director of the Lodi International Wine Awards.
I first read about Hanni in this Wall Street Journal piece and then interviewed him for Grape Wall of China last month. I 
looked forward to getting his take on the wine scene and he didn’t disappoint. Over nearly four hours, he covered everything from his experiences with the Master of Wine exam to chemistry, biology and etymology (What do we mean by ‘palate’?) to the history of wine and food to his rock band (that’s a whole other story).
Hanni took the Master of Wine test in 1989 and “failed it miserably.” He knew he had the technical expertise, but was poor at essays, so he signed up for a three-day writing course. The course ended up being for engineers, he took it anyway, and this led to an epiphany.
“It was brilliant. We learned to take words that we think we all know, and to then agree on what they mean,” he says. “It occurred to me that with much of the language of wine, we think we know what we mean, but deep down there is a lack of agreement.”
Forget about notes of gooseberries and hints of cloves: Hanni says he has been talking to wine makers, sensory specialists and others for 20 years just to discover what we mean by “flavor” and “taste.”
“You have all this wine education going on and nobody’s taken time to answer the harder questions, such as “What’s a palate?” Or about the biggest piece of the puzzle, “How do senses work with the brain?”
He speaks of scientists who do brain scans to gauge the impact of our senses on it, of how atmosphere, color and music can affect wine drinkers, or of the power of suggestion (he says one study found that people gave different evaluations of a white wine and then the same wine - unbeknown to them - dyed red).
He goes so far as to make wine sound like therapy. Take Sauvignon Blanc, a wine often associated with a grassy smell. “We find that people who dislike Sauvignon Blanc have grass allergies; have bad memories of childhood summers; have bad experiences with lawn mowing and lawn moving equipment.”
Which is all to say that why we like or dislike a particular wine is individual, a product of our senses, of our memories and preconceptions, and of a myriad of other factors that argue against a “one size fits all” philosophy.
“People are anatomically different - one size does not fit all. And the size that is being pushed on people is dry wine,” he says.
“Imagine you are trying to sell shoes and you don’t realize people have differently sized feet,” he says. “You wouldn’t say, well, your foot isn’t mature.”
On Friday, I will have part two of the Tim Hanni talk, which covers how he categorizes wine drinkers as well as the food and wine demonstration he gave us.
(Thanks to Arcy Y. for the photo.)
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04.18.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 4:24 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
Expect a steady flow of posts over the next two weeks. Along with articles by Ma Huiqin and Campbell Thompson, we will introduce a new contributor to the blog. I will also include write-ups of my meeting with Tim Hanni, the Crown Wine Cellar opening, some new “great value” French wines in Beijing, a visit to Chateau Bolongbao just outside the city, an update on the Time Out China Wine Guide, and my first experience as a panelist in a blind tasting of wines. We will be posting some Chinese translations of Grape Wall posts, too. Busy, busy…
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Posted in Jim Boyce at 4:16 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
Decanter is reporting that China Customs is fining ASC Fine Wines USD350,000 for under-declaring its wine imports over the past two years. ASC Managing Partner Don St. Pierre Jr. was recently released from three weeks of detention.
ASC and other wine importers have been subjected to a China-wide inspection by customs focussing [sic] on potential discrepancies between the declared value and ‘real value’ of imported wines.
St Pierre and his colleague Carrie Xuan were held – along with the legal representatives of other wine importers – from 11 March to 8 April in a detention centre. St Pierre was released on April 8, free to return to work, along with all other ASC staff.
Decanter had earlier repeated speculation by Simon Tam on Jancis Robinson’s Web site (members-only section) that ASC faced “a fine rumoured to be in the neighbourhood of €5m, and the potential deportation of some of its top executives…”
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04.17.08
Posted in Jim Boyce at 5:55 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
Napa Valley Vintners held a trade tasting on Monday, April 7 at Central Party Institute for Foreign Affairs in Beijing. Most of the 11 producers on hand provided a sample each of a red and a white wine. I stuck to the latter, my favorites being Buehler Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2005 (dark fruit, slight bitterness and tingle at the end that reminded me of coffee), Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (toast, blackberries), Saintsbury Pinot Noir 2006 (red cherries, touch of savoriness - sea salt?) and, most interesting, Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Single Cellar 2001 (with mint on the nose and in the body).
The producers were Buehler Vineyards, Cain Vineyard & Winery, Cakebread Cellars, Chappellet Winery & Vineyard, Heitz Wine Cellars, Helena View Johnston Vineyards, Oakville Ranch Vineyards, Page Wine Cellars, Saintsbury, St. Supery Vineyards & Winery, and Viader Vineyards & Winery.
Besides Beijing, the tour takes in four other Asian cities, each of which will receive larger delegations: Shanghai (one day, 14 producers, trade and public tastings), Hong Kong (one day, 16 producers, trade tasting), Tokyo (three days, 20 producers, trade and public tastings) and Osaka (one day, 18 producers, trade tasting).
The Napa Valley Vintners is involved in wine education, auctions, and sustainable farming. It aims to protect Napa Valley as a place name. In others, if a bottle doesn’t include wine from Napa, it shouldn’t use the name on the label. Given the valley’s reputation and small production, these wines tend to be pricey.
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Posted in Jim Boyce at 3:32 pm by admin
By Jim Boyce
The Shuang Jing branch of Carrefour in Beijing launched its 2008 April Wine Fair last Thursday. The event drew a sizable crowd as the opening day included at least a 20 percent discount on all wine.
I arrived around 9 PM, unaware of the scale of the fair or that many distributors would be on hand with samples of their wines.
A mix of locals and foreigners toured more than a dozen tasting stations. Most wines were entry-level, or slightly above, and it was a good opportunity to “try before you buy.” Many shoppers had carts loaded with individual bottles or cases. I ended up going for the “two bottles of Domaine Ste. Michelle and one bottle of Columbia Crest Two Vines for RMB282″ deal.
Here are a few photos from the event. Apologies for the quality - while my K-Touch B922 phone offers good features, an excellent built-in camera is not among them.
Wine guy Badr (left) tastes some wine with Torres China’s Hugo (right).
These guys are stocking up, with a full few carts behind them…
… and one in front.
Even at 9:30 PM, there were plenty of wine lovers.
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Posted in Huiqin Ma at 10:17 am by admin
By Ma Huiqin
Here is a Chinese translation of the article “Taste test: Uncorking nine Chinese wines in Beijing“, which saw Lawrence Osborne and James Fallows as well as fellow contributors Campbell Thompson and Jim Boyce try local vino. It first appeared on my personal blog.
四个外国人对9款中国葡萄酒的品评
爱酒的我们常常会品尝葡萄酒，写下自己的评语，也会看葡萄酒专栏作家对葡萄酒的品评。外国人对中国葡萄酒的品尝总体上非常有限，有些人是抱着先入为主的看法对中国葡萄酒持不懈一顾的态度，即使有偶尔的品尝也是一两个出名的酒园而已。
Jim Boyce是我遇到过的对中国葡萄酒持非常开放态度的外国人，他和他的几个朋友前些天搞了一些小小的中国葡萄酒的品尝活动，并把这次活动记录在他的博客上。古话讲：开卷有益，我想有不少葡萄酒消费者和业界的同仁愿意了解一下这些来自国外的葡萄酒爱好者和专业人士是如何评价这些我们常见或不常见的葡萄酒，从另一个角度，听听不同的声音。
参加品酒的四个人是来自纽约的葡萄酒记者Lawrence Osborne、太平洋月刊的记者James Fallows，曾任ASC精品葡萄酒市场总监的Campbell Thompson和Jim本人。
因为时间的关系，我无法把Jim写得美丽而精确的英文完美地翻译给读者，尽管在我阅读他的文字的时候，得到了极大的享受，再一次感受语言的美好。有兴趣的读者请访问他的博客http://www.grapewallofchina.com/
以下为英文的译文
长城赤霞珠2003
有一定的果香，尽管香气较为微弱并带有一丝止咳糖浆的感觉，不坚实的酒体带有轻微的浆果/樱桃的香气，收结很类似于葡萄汁。
餐桌评语：“口感尚可，但并不宜人，果香已经松弛消退。”
新天红葡萄酒（无年份，人民币 28元）
色泽为沉郁的红色，带有一点黄色的色调，能感受到橡木和一点（相当微弱的）黑色水果的香气，没有回味（原作者注：因为曾经从我的读者那里听到对新天的积极评价，所以很快我会尝试更贵的新天葡萄酒。）
餐桌评语：“我很高兴这款酒的定价没有超过28元。”
撒拉莫世家赤霞珠2004（人民币45元）
闻起来有淡淡的水果味儿（黑樱桃），酒体蕴含着一些深色水果的芬芳，果酱感和一丝的香料味儿。
餐桌评语： “有一定的品种特征，但还是有些单薄。”
怡园赤霞珠2005 （人民币60元）
闻香带有轻盈宜人的水果风格，果香和单宁相当协调，但葡萄酒的色泽让人觉得它仿佛来自一个更老的年份。
餐桌评语： “尝起来象一款完美的美国葡萄酒”，“显然比撒拉莫世家高了一个层次”，“他们想达到某种不容易达到的境界。”
波龙堡2005珍藏（人民币195）
闻起来有很多的橡木（锯木屑？）味，对随后的黑果酱味来它说太浓了，在酒体上是同样的特征。
餐桌评语： “橡木味奇怪而且重” ，“象进了木匠店”，“象松脂”，我个人喜欢这一条评语:“带有果实风味的有趣的木头味儿”，“既会有人喜欢这款酒，也有人会讨厌这款酒”
太阳桃红2005 （人民币60）
桔－粉红色，闻起来有蘑菇感，底层是果实的味道（桃？淡红色的水果？），入口有类似的水果味，如果你想尝试这款酒，宜早不宜迟。
餐桌评语：“它在逆境中挣扎，所做的努力令人尊敬”
华东干白（雷司令） 2002 （人民币76）
非常成熟，几乎发酵了，闻香中有苹果味，稍微有点酸，带有热带水果（菠萝）的感觉，但缺乏足够的酸度和收结。
餐桌评语：“这款酒没有酸度，没有核心，雷司令不能酿成这样”，“它已经过了最佳饮用期”，“收结不够干净”。
怡园夏多丽 2006（人民币60）
闻起来有烤面包的香气，酒体中有橡木和绿苹果的感觉，尽管酒尝起来有轻微的不成熟感”。
餐桌评语：“它连贯性不好”，“它的酸度不平衡”, “它没有优雅感”。
中法农场霞多丽2005 （访问时得到的样品）
轻盈的，奶油般的，带有新鲜感，酒体上呈现柔和轻盈的水果香气，尽管收结并不悠长。
餐桌评语：“It doesn’t have that buttery angle,” “它不是过度商业化的作品”，“是目前为止唯一一款可以和外国葡萄酒相抗衡的产品”。
总体上，怡园赤霞珠、波龙堡和中法农场的霞多丽得到的评价最高。
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