Monthly Archives: March 2008

Tasting notes: The Wine Republic soft launch

Wine importer and distributor The Wine Republic held its soft launch at CafÃ© Europa in Beijing last Wednesday. The company is a partnership between Rathbone Wine Group (Australia) and Campbell Thompson, a former marketing director at ASC Fine Wines and a contributor to Grape Wall of China. Its initial goal is to import cool-climate Australian and French wines, with a focus on temperature-controlled shipping and storage.

Guests tried four wines from Mount Langi Ghiran winery in the southern hills of Australia’s Great Dividing Range:
Riesling 2004
Billi Billi Shiraz 2003
Cliff Edge Shiraz 2001
Langi Cabernet-Merlot 2000

If you have trouble picking out varietals, then the Riesling is for you, with its full-on petrol aromas. Drinkers will likely find this to be a love-it-or-hate-it wine. Both the Billi Billi Shiraz and Cliff Edge Shiraz had black plum and a hint of pepper on the nose, the latter having a better mouth feel and more fruit. The Cabernet Merlot offers black cherry on a nose that suggests a heavier body than is found in the glass. The Wine Republic plans to soon officially launch with its full range of wines.

Beijing Wine Club: Wake up and smell the Chianti

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By Jim Boyce

I’d rather not return to this topic, given my post in December, but I wish the Beijing Wine Club would get its act together. I planned to skip last Saturday’s event, but after running into the club’s co-founder at The Rickshaw a day before and getting an SMS from someone who signed up, I decided to drop into Nearby the Tree.

The event was billed as a “tasting” of wines from “women winemakers” of the world.

To me, such an event should involve education about the wines and the people making them. Instead, what I learned came from asking the servers to produce the bottles from behind the counter so that I might check the labels and from talking to a Summergate rep.

As for the “women winemakers” theme, the angle was more like “women involved in wine.” It didn’t help that the selection was limited by the club patronizing one distributor, in this case Summergate, doubly disappointing given the recent Time Out China Wine Guide mess.

In the end, I arrived, I paid RMB150, I drank five samples, I checked the wine labels, I talked to a few people, and I left. In a city where there seems to be a monthly “100 wines for RMB100” tasting, a good weekly Friday night tasting for ~RMB100, and plenty of spots to meet friends and try wine by the glass for RMB35 and up, this event didn’t exactly ooze – or trickle, for that matter – value.

There is nothing wrong with people gathering to socialize, but here the emphasis is on “club” and “wine” is peripheral. It took me back to the wine events held by the former networking group YPHH [Young Professionals Happy Hour], though even those did more to provide a wine-centric experience.

As a consumer I hope to see more BWC events like the one held at Sequoia CafÃ© in November, which included two blind tastings, two quizzes and a barbecue for RMB220. In addition to drawing a good turnout, the event was well organized, informative, and fun.

Chinese Customs investigating wine importers

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By Grape Wall of China

Four contributors to Grape Wall of China have talked to sources in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing who report that China Customs is investigating wine importers. The inquiry seems to be targeted at firms that under-declare the value of their imports. Two well placed industry sources say that staff members are being questioned, with one source calling the inquiry “routine.” Rumors abound about the detention of high-profile people from wine companies, but none of them are confirmed. Expect to hear more about this story.

Job wanted: Portugal-based wine professional seeks Hong Kong, Macao position

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A reader recently contacted Grape Wall about working in China. Here are the details:Â

Portugal-based wine professional seeks position with a wine importer and/or distributor in Macao or Hong Kong. Has five-year degree from ISA (Portugal) in viticulture and wine-making. Since June has been working as an assistant wine maker in a major Portuguese wine company. Has harvest experience in Chile, USA, New Zealand and Portugal, and is involved in wine tasting courses, wine promotions and wine tours at current place of employment.

Interested parties should send an email to joaodovale@gmail.com.

Wet your whistle: Upcoming Beijing wine events

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By Jim Boyce

Upcoming Beijing tastings

March 12, 7 PM, Cafe Europa, RMB150
Mount Langi Ghiran tasting, by The Wine Republic; four wines with “tasting plates”; RSVP with Joseph Kiang at Cafe Europa (5869-5663).

March 13, 7 PM, L’isola, RMB898
Pio Cesare wine dinner, by Torres, with fourth-generation proprietor Pio Boffa; RSVP with Sophie at 5165-5519, x208 / sophie@torres.com.cn.

March 14, 6:30 PM, Sequoia CafÃ© (Sanlitun), RMB150
Pinot Noir blind tasting, with appetizers; RSVP with Frank at frank.siegel@gmail.com.

March 15, Blu Lobster, RMB1788
Chateau Cos dâ€™Estournel dinner, by ASC, with Cos d’Estournel CEO Jean Guillaume Prats; RSVP by calling Blu Lobster at 6841-2211, x6728.

March 20, 7 PM, Grill Restaurant (Radisson SAS), RMB588
Kendall-Jackson wine dinner, by ASC, with Jackson Asia-Pacific Regional Director Jack Cook; RSVP by contacting Helen Lu (ASC) at 6418-1598, x226, or Daisy Wang (Radisson) at 5922-3152.

March 26, 6:30 PM, Aria (China World), RMB1200
Riedel wine tasting dinner, by ASC, with company CEO Maximilian Riedel; 4 wines; participants take home 4 Riedel glasses; RSVP by contacting Helen Lu (ASC) at 6418-1598, x226.

Note: To get an wine event listed, send the event information, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.

Upcoming China trade shows

Shanghai China International Wine Exposition, 10 AM-5 PM, March 14-16, Shanghai Mart*

Wine Culture China, March 16 -18, China World Trade Center* (does anyone know anything about last year’s show? I hear this event is focused more on olive oil than on wine)

Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2008, 9:30 AM-6:30 PM, May 27-29, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center

* A hat tip to Ricardo D for sending me these links.

Gouda times! Beijing Cheese Society goes â€˜all Chinaâ€™

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By Jim Boyce

Yellow Valley’s de Ruiter and Beijing Cheese Society’s Ruwart (Photo:BCS)

There is no shortage of wine and cheese events in Beijing, but rare are those featuring Chinese wine and Chinese cheese that are both good.

Last night, Beijing Cheese Society gathered at New Veranda in Shunyi to taste Yellow Valley cheeses and Grace Vineyard wines from nearby Shanxi province.

I first tried Yellow Valley cheeses at a Palette Vino wine tasting last December and, like many other people, was surprised to learn they were domestically made. The cheese is tasty and fresh, and flavors include plain, herb, and garlic and onion.

Yellow Valley founder Marc de Ruiter started experimenting in 2004 – “I was making cheese five kilograms at a time,” he says – and set up the company in 2006. The company’s three goals: to make the best artisan Gouda in China, to help the local farmers, and to be “socially responsible.” de Ruiter deals directly with the farmers, thus enabling them to make more money, he says.

We tried the cheeses with Euro-bakery bread, Veranda appetizers (including delicious sausage rolls), and Chardonnay and Cabernet-Merlot from Grace Vineyard, which is only a 90-minute drive from Yellow Valley.

(Hmm, a winery and a cheese-making operation close together. Do I sniff a road trip?)

The event and the quiz were organized by Beijing Cheese Club co-founder Sharon Ruwart, who has been giving feedback to deRuiter on his cheeses for three years.

By the way, New Veranda (next to Western Academy Beijing) offers a large airy space, with rough plank floors, cranberry colored walls, and white thick-trimmed ceiling-to-floor windows. And has free wireless, a lengthy veranda out back and a 48-kuai breakfast that yours truly intends to soon check out. Yellow Valley cheeses are available at Euro-bakery, Palette Vino and South German Bakery, among other venues.

For more information:
New Veranda
Yellow Valley
Grace Vineyard

Checking out Chinese cheese at The Veranda (Photo: BCS)

Get your Gruner Veltliner on: Austrian wines at Cafe Europa

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By Jim Boyce

Cafe Europa’s Austrian wine lineup (Photo: C. Thompson)

Forty people gathered at CafÃ© Europe on January 24 for the launch of four Austrian wines the restaurant is not only selling, but also importing. Good times all around (see this China Daily article).

Expect to see more restaurateurs import their own wine and make their own beer (with The Saddle and 1949: The Hidden City planning to do the latter).

For Austrian wine lovers, or for those interested in giving them a try, here are the options:

Schloss Maissau Gruner Veltliner DAC 2006 (retail: RMB150; in restaurant: RMB180 bottle / RMB38 glass)
Johann Topf Riesling, Wechselberg 2006 (retail: RMB210; in restaurant: RMB250 bottle)
Umathum, Zweigelt 2006 (retail: RMB180; in restaurant: RMB200 bottle / RMB40 glass)
Prieler, Schuetzner Stein, 2004 (retail: RMB320; in restaurant: RMB350 bottle)

The two wines by the glass are good value – they are not only tasty, but also unavailable anywhere else in town.

UPDATE Wet your whistle: Upcoming Beijing wine events, China trade shows

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In addition to the list of wine events I posted earlier this week, here are two more:

March 7, 6-8 PM, Atrium Bar (Great Wall Sheraton), free
Lindemans wine tasting, including reserve range, with Jebsen
March 8, 6 PM, La Baie des Anges
New wine list event, with more than 50 wines; RSVP in advance and receive a 15 percent discount on bottles (6657-1605

Here is the original list of upcoming tastings;

Upcoming Beijing tastings

March 6, 7 PM, Brasserie Flo (Rainbow Plaza), RMB498
Gerard Bertrand wine dinner, by East Meets West; six wines; 30 seats available; To RSVP, contact Felix (Brasserie Flo) at 13161-338-874 or Wendy (EMW) at 6445-5797.

March 7, 6:30 PM, Sequoia CafÃ© (Sanlitun), ~RMB100
Weekly tasting; join the e-vite list by contacting Frank at frank.siegel@gmail.com

March 8, 6 PM, Nearby the Tree, RMB150
Women winemakers, by Beijing Wine Club; 5 wines with light canapes; contact: Gabe at info@beijingwineclub.com

March 12, 7 PM, Cafe Europa, RMB150
Mount Langi Ghiran tasting, by The Wine Republic; four wines with “tasting plates”

March 15, Blu Lobster, RMB1788
Chateau Cos dâ€™Estournel Grand Cru Classe dinner, by ASC, with Cos d’Estournel CEO Jean Guillaume Prats; RSVP by calling Blu Lobster at 6841-2211, x6728

Note: To get an wine event listed, send the event information, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.

Upcoming China trade shows

Shanghai China International Wine Exposition, 10 AM-5 PM, March 14-16, Shanghai Mart*

Wine Culture China, March 16 -18, China World Trade Center*

Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2008, 9:30 AM-6:30 PM, May 27-29, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center

* A hat tip to Ricardo D for sending me these links.

Judy Leissner: Two challenges of working with grape farmers

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By Judy Leissner

At Grace Vineyard, we spend a major amount of energy working with grape-growing farmers, as we believe wine quality is largely determined by grape quality.

Working with the farmers has been both rewarding and difficult. I find that there are two major challenges we face.

The first is limited experience. Unlike farmers in Europe , our farmers have no prior experience of growing grapes. As a result, they often apply the techniques they use for growing other crops and it is extremely difficult to change their views, since these have been formed over a lifetime.

For instance, we repeatedly warn the farmers not to irrigate, yet they secretly go to the vineyard and irrigate at night because they think the soil is too dry. Even though we explain that dry soil is good for the grapes, it’s difficult for the farmers to simply believe us and ignore their “common sense.”

The second is managing and monitoring more than 200 hectares of vineyards. It’s easy to say that “quality is our number one priority,” yet to be able to execute and reach a high level of quality is an extremely difficult task. Over the years, we continue to spot problems and fine tune our vineyard management system accordingly.

For instance, we first came up with a scheme of guaranteeing a minimum payment per hectare. This was done in order that the farmers would have a safety net to fall back on and thus be more willing to follow our specific instructions, such as leaving only six bunches of grapes per vine. On top of that, it provides them extra bonuses based on how their grapes measure up to quality expectations. This had helped to push grape quality to the next level. Yet we still discovered the farmers didn’t understand the importance of timing – i.e. certain things must be done within a certain growing period – so we came up with a monthly work plan and rating system that monitors the whole process.

With over 200 hectares of vineyards, an unpredictable climate, more than 400 farmer units, and various government departments to deal with, this management task is extremely challenging and it remains something we have to work very hard on each year.

Interview: Jancis Robinson on China

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By Jim Boyce

The red bag on the table? See below for details. (Photo: Swissotel)

I sat down for a quick interview with Jancis Robinson last night at Flow Lounge & Bar in Swissotel Beijing. Besides having a popular site, Robinson writes a weekly column for The Financial Times, edits theÂ Oxford Companion to Wine, and, with Hugh Johnson, wrote the World Atlas of Wine.

What changes have you witnessed in the wine scene during your visits to China?

This is my third visitâ€”2002, 2003 and 2008.

I’m slightly disappointed that quality hasn’t made more progress as I can see. Weâ€™re still at the stage of diluted AC Bordeax, which is the most difficult wine in the world to sell at the moment.

Marcus Ford at M on the Bund [in Shanghai] and others organized a blind tasting of 15 reds [during her recent visit]. All I’ll say is that the range didn’t knock my socks off, although three or four I thought were pretty good. I had hope, because of my faith in the Chinese work ethic and determination, that the wines would show five years’ worth for progress, but it wasn’t there.

Which wine-producing regions have you visited in China and how do they match up?

The visits include my trip to Suntime [in Xinjiang in 2003] and a trip to Grace [Vineyard, in Shanxi] yesterday, and in 2003 a trip to a few of the wineries in Hebei. Of course, out west the terrain is so completely different. The scaleâ€”Suntime had massive vineyards that didn’t look as though they were farmer-owned, but looked like they were owned by Suntime, while around Grace they have the farmer plots.

What is your general impression of Chinese wines and the grape varieties being used?

As far as varieties, it’s rare that you taste anything other than Cabernet and Merlot. I honestly can’t think of any other country that has such a huge area planted with such a tiny portion of grape varieties.

The most common wine style, being bone dry, red and tannic, is the worst match for Chinese food.

What advice would you give to Chinese who are new to wine?

I would say don’t listen to advertising and try lots of different styles of wine. Try a white wine, a fruity wine, even a fruity red wine, depending on what you’re eating. Don’t think that wine has to be Cabernet or Merlot. That Dr Loosen Riesling [available from Summergate] is very friendly. So many people in the trade have told me that if they give it to people, they love it.

Note: I brought bottles of 2003 Crystal Dry and 2005 Rose Honey, from Yunnan Red Wine Company and made with hybrid grapes. Robinson’s quick appraisal:

“[The Rose Honey] is perhaps a little sweet to eat with food, but it’s a perfectly good entry-level wine. [The Crystal Dry] has too many foreign smells to me; it’s too non-vinifera.”

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For more by Jancis Robinson on China, see The vinification of China and My Chinese adventures – Part II. This City Weekend post includes a live blogging session and recording from Robinson’s recent talk at the Shanghai International Literary Festival.

Thanks to Swissotel for hosting. (By the way, they have a two-for-one special every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 PM in Flow). Afterwards, I sat down with Swissotel’s Dominik Hager and Nathan Wang to get their take on the wines. Neither were fond of the Crystal Dry, finding it weird (the 2003 may be past its due date, plus was far too warm). As for Rose Honey, both found it had a perfumed nose. Wang said that it lacked body, but was OK as a light wine. He has been trying Chinese wines for over a decade, so expect to see him soon featured here in an interview.

Available in your finest Beijing supermarkets (Photo: M-Dawg)