Beijing Boyce

Yugong Yishan is holding a “mini Oktoberfest” tonight as it hosts the German band Route 66. According to the invite, the combination of 1960s / 1970s folk rock and draft beer “will magically change the entire atmosphere of Yugong Yishan into a ‘gemuetlich’ beer garden.”

I guess that really depends on how much of that beer you drink. In any case, things get under way at 8:30 PM.

Hat tip to p3wong for the heads up.

After a light summer of wine events, Beijing’s distributors are back in force with a slew of them. Palette Wines will get out a good part of its portfolio for Mundo Vino, a tasting of over 100 wines at the Palette Vino shop in Shunyi on August 18 (RMB150), while the Hilton’s eleventh annual wine show is slated for November 29. The weekly “Friday with Frank” tastings at Sequoia Cafe will re-start next week. And a special shout to Winelink, which holds a weekly South African wine tasting at Pinotage. I recently tried a bottle of the company’s Deetlefs Estate Weisser Riesling - great value at RMB80 (thanks to Frankie Zhao for bringing it along). I’ll have more next week, including on upcoming Beaujolais Nouveau events.

Now, the tastings…

Friday, October 10, 7:30 PM, One East On Third (Hilton), RMB600+15%
St. Supery wine dinner, with winery CEO Michaela Rodeno; by ASC Fine Wines; RSVP with Helen Lu at eventsbj@asc-wines.com / 6587-3803

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Saturday, October 11, 5-6 PM, Pinotage, RMB60
Weekly tasting; 6 South African Cabernet, with cheese; by WineLink; RSVP with Chris at 13611-207-396 / chrisb@winelink.com.cn

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Sunday, October 12, 11:30 AM-3 PM, Westin Financial Street, free
Wine bazaar, with 10 wines and discounts on 80 more; by ASC Fine Wines; RSVP with Helen Lu at eventsbj@asc-wines.com / 6587-3803

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Wednesday, October 15, 7-10:30 PM, Cafe Europe (Jianwai Soho, Building 15), RMB260
New Zealand wine dinner, with four wine-food pairings; by The Wine Republic; RSVP at events@thewinerepublic.com

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Thursday, October 16, 7-8:30 PM, Amigo (Central Park), free
Chilean Wine Tasting, by Top Cellar, RSVP at www.topcellar.com.cn, marketing@topcellar.com.cn, or 13241-220-468.

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Thursday, October 16, 7.30 PM, The Bookworm, RMB150
1000 miles from top to bottom; tasting of four New Zealand wines; by The Wine Republic; RSVP at events@thewinerepublic.com or 5869-7050

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Thursday, October 16, 6:30 PM, Capital Club, RMB1088+15%
Bordeaux Cru Classe Autumn dinner, with 5 wines; by ASC Fine Wines; RSVP with Helen Lu at eventsbj@asc-wines.com / 6587-3803

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Friday, October 17, 6:30 PM, Sequoia Cafe
The return of the Friday with Frank tastings at Sequoia Cafe, details TBA

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Saturday, October 18, 1-6 PM, Palette Vino, RMB150
Mundo Vino; tasting of over 100 wines, 20% discounts of bottle purchases; by Palette Wines; RSVP with Dazz Ma at 8046-4461 / dazzling0828@hotmail.com

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Wednesday, October 22, 7:30 PM, La Baie des Anges, RMB100
“Butterfly effect”, with 5 wines (Pinot Noir, Cotes du Rhone, Bordeaux, Jurancon, and Cabernet Sauvignon);  By French Wine Paradox; RSVP at ccarrard.fwp@gmail.com / 13439-441-103.

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Thursday, October 30, 6:30 PM, Legendale, RMB688+15%
Trimbach wine dinner, wine winery owner Hubert Trimbach; by ASC Fine Wines; RSVP with Helen Lu at eventsbj@asc-wines.com / 6587-3803

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Looking even further ahead…

October, 7 PM, Aria (China World Hotel), RMB1788
World Series of Wine: The Tour of Italy, with Summergate; RSVP with Danny Kane at danny.kane@shangri-la.com / 6505-2266, x36.

Saturday, November 29, Hilton, price TBA
Food & Wine Experience XI, by Beijing Hilton; details TBA

November, 7 PM, Aria (China World Hotel), RMB1588
World Series of Wine: The Grange Challenge, with Summergate; RSVP with Danny Kane at danny.kane@shangri-la.com / 6505-2266, x36.

December, 7 PM, Aria (China World Hotel), RMB1388
World Series of Wine: Hidden Gems, with Summergate; RSVP with Danny Kane at danny.kane@shangri-la.com / 6505-2266, x36.

January, 7 PM, Aria (China World Hotel), RMB4888
World Series of Wine: The Ultimate Dinner - The Judgement of Aria, with Summergate; RSVP with Danny Kane at danny.kane@shangri-la.com / 6505-2266, x36.

Note: If you intend to attend any of the above events, it is best to confirm the details with the venue ahead of time. To get a wine event listed, send event info to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.

Nothing says Oktoberfest like spending six hours in a steamy jam-packed arena while teetering on a flimsy chair and screaming ” Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi!” until it collapses and sends your body, weighted by a gut full of sausage, sauerkraut, and beer, spilling to the ground as you accidentally slosh a full pint of Red Baron on the Liebling you chatted up all night. But let me put the sweet memories of college youth aside for a moment and talk about the spirit of Oktoberfest here in our fair city.

That massive German beer pub Drei Kronen 1308, just up the street from Hooters, will finally hold its official opening, this Friday from 6 PM. I realize I have already plugged this place and its four floors, its rooftop garden, and its 100,000+ liters of monthly beer-making capacity, but I happen to pass it every day and am awed both by its scale and design and by the task management has of regularly filling it with paying customers. One good move: introducing a two-for-one happy hour, from 5 to 7 PM, thus providing relief on those RMB58 pints.

In any case, given the massive burnished metal sign being erected at DK 1308 today, the planned suit of armor, and the handful of Bavarian flags, you can’t miss the place.

Meanwhile, all three branches of Kro’s Nest are celebrating “Krotoberfest” (I guess the other two choices were OktoberNest and KrotoberNest). The place does have beer, apparently is getting some sausage, and will hopefully have a Oktoberfest-inspired pie: bratwurst, sauerkraut, the German versions of Munster and Emmentaler… it could work. Or maybe some Bierkase, a cheese that includes the word beer.

Finally, according to City Weekend, the granddaddy of Beijing’s German brew pub scene, Paulaner in the Kempinski Hotel, will make Oktoberest daily, October 10 to 26, from 6-11 PM. Expect music to fit the mood, the “Munich Showgirls, Das Kleeblatt“, and - one hopes - an appearance by David Hasselhoff. Call  6465-3388, x5732 to reserve a table.

If anyone knows of other Oktoberfest events, please provide me the details at beijingboyce@yahoo.com or leave them in the comments section, and I’ll write an update post.