Beijing Boyce

The Hilton holds its tenth annual Food & Wine Experience this Saturday, November 10. It’s about as must-attend as a wine event gets in Beijing. I interviewed Hilton GM Vlad Reyes and F&B Manager Philippos Arghirides about the history behind it and what we can expect this year.

Boyce: How did the first Food & Wine Experience get started and what was the response from trade and the public?

Reyes: In 1997, the only places people could enjoy good wines in Beijing were in hotels. With the strong reputation that our Louisiana restaurant had for its wine list, it was a natural event to organize. The restaurant manager started it together with all the big wine distributors in town.

It was a smashing success from day one. In fact, it was a multi-day event and several guests stayed overnight in the hotel to be able to enjoy the wines without the risk of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Boyce: What have been some of the highlights over the years?

Reyes: Every year, the event carries a theme. In the five years I have seen this grow, we have had themes such as wine and lifestyle, wine and art, and wine and jazz. The gala dinner is always the culminating event for the weekend, and leading winemakers and chefs have graced the occasion, including from Leeuwin Estates and Penfolds. This year, we will feature wine critic Jeremy Oliver.

Boyce: How many wines will be featured this year? What kind of seminars can visitors expect?

Arghirides: This year we have 193 booths, our highest number ever, plus media, food and equipment suppliers. There will be 200 brands and approximately 1,000 different wines. This makes the Hilton Beijing Food and Wine Experience the biggest wine exhibition in Beijing.

Boyce: What makes the tenth anniversary event different from other years?

Arghirides: In a nutshell, the major differences are the number and variety of products, having Australian wine guru Jeremy Oliver host wine classes and the gala dinner and having our first 10-course gala dinner paired with 10 different wines. We will also have an auction of rare wines, some which are unavailable in China and are rare finds in Asia, with the benefits going to charity.

Note: The Food & Wine Experience runs from 1-5 PM; entry is 230 kuai and includes a brunch buffet.

Shanghai’s antipodean paragon of pub proclamations, Winopete, is up and writing again after a multi-month absence. Denizens of our sister city to the south are well-advised to subscribe to said scribbler’s e-newsletter (email winopetechina@yahoo.com with “a dingo stole my baby” in the subject line).

From his most recent newsletter:

• “[Check out] Sasha’s (corner of Hengshan and Dongping Roads), which holds a wine buffet every Friday, when it’s an all-you-can drink deal from a selection of about a dozen wines from 6.30pm-9.00pm for just RMB148. A lot of the wines are drinkable lower end labels, with one or two nasty Nelly’s, but most weeks there are a few roses among the thorns to keep the pickier plonkheads happy (e.g. Pedroncelli 2002 Merlot, Jim Barry 2004 Shiraz). Note, the wine selection changes each week.”
• “Forget Beyonce and listen to some proper music instead. The Blarney Brothers, an Irish band based in Hong Kong, will perform traditional Celtic music with a modern twang at O’Malley’s this Tuesday and Wednesday (November 6th and 7th) about 8.30pm. Come and check it out, while downing a pint or two of the black stuff.”
• “Every Friday the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (”AustCham”) holds a drinks function at the Le Royal Meriden Hotel’s 789 Bar from 6.30-9pm approx. Yep, fair dinkum, the Poms, Yanks and everyone else hold their sundowners once a month, but we Aussies need an excuse for a business drink at least once a week. Don’t get me wrong, all are invited, just don’t talk about the rugby, George Bush or Johnnie Howard. Put the ayi on overtime to mind the ankle-biters and other half, then come down for RMB15 Coopers beers, RMB30 wines and join the throng where everyone’s flappin’ their gums. You’ve got kangaroos in the top paddock if you miss this!”

Just an update on my earlier post on SALT, which it taking over The Park Grill space in TRIO. The restaurant, expected to seat 80, is set to open on November 28.