Beijing Boyce

Rather than write a lengthy report about Saturday’s Food & Wine Experience at The Hilton, I thought it would be more fun to interview myself. Here we go:

Was that you on The Hilton’s marble steps standing in front of a broken bottle of wine?
It was. As I left, the paper bag provided by the organizers came unglued and a nearly full bottle of Heartland Dolcetto Lagrein fell out. The bottle exploded on the steps and attracted gawkers from far and wide. Fortunately, a half bottle of Heartland Shiraz stayed in the bag.

You mean you could buy wine there?
No. If you stay until the end of such events, sometimes the distributors give away opened bottles because they don’t want to waste them.

Why did you end up with Heartland?
I spent the last half hour at the Palette tables. I like Australian wines and Palette owner John Gai has an excellent portfolio. Palette’s Stefan Fleischer, as he did at this event two years ago, guided me through some lovely wines, particulary the Shiraz and Viognier.

What else did you like?
I liked the media session with wine writer Jeremy Oliver, supported by the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation and ASC Fine Wines – I’ll write a separate post about it. He encouraged us to cover the top of our glasses with our palms and shake them – this gives wine a few hours’ worth of aeration. Make sure you have tissues handy if you try this at home.

Best of all was meeting winemakers, winery owners, distributors, writers and, especially, consumers. I met many people that I previously knew only by email, including Jennifer Zhang and Jessie Xiao at Summergate and Xavier Tondusson at Bacchus. Good to match faces with email addresses!

By the way, if logistically possible, I think the Champagne distributors should be in Zeta bar next year. It’s a perfect fit. I would also have the event run later into the afternoon.

Any disappointments?
I would love to see more countries better represented. As usual, pickings were meager from China (only Grace Vineyard), Austria, Portugal, Canada and some other nations. Having said that, we get more choice every year in Beijing, so overall I was happy with the selection.

However, I was disappointed at the light turnout Saturday. The event offered hundreds of wines and a buffet for 230 kuai – what more could you ask for? Compare this to Torres’ Taste of the Nations event last weekend: it offered far fewer wines but attracted a lot of attendees, even though it was only marginally cheaper.

Spreading the Food & Wine Experience over two days – the trade show was on Friday – might help explain the attendance. Some trade people could not attend Friday and gave tickets to friends or customers who might otherwise have come on Saturday. Next year, the hotel might also want to pair its traditional magazine ads with more marketing via e-mail and word-of-mouth, which is the key way many people get information about events.

I talked to four distributors about attendance and all of them were unhappy, especially as they had to pay for table space and provide staff, wine and literature for the event. On the other hand, 18 distributors participated and most didn’t seem to do much to promote this event, at least if my inbox is any indication.

Which distributors attended?
Eight companies had the vast majority of the 182 wine tables: ASC (27), Aussino, Jointek and Summergate (25 each), Jebsen (24), and H&L, Palette and Torres (12 each). Other distributors were: DT Asia (6), Metro (4), Bacchus and Pernod Ricard (2 each) and Ao Hua, Beijing GLP, East Meets West, Longfellows, Moet Hennessey Diageo and TBC – The Beverage Company (1 each). Montrose was notably absent. The other 12 tables featured food, glassware, wine accessories, magazines, and bottled water.

This breakdown suggests the Hilton might want to drop the “food” from “food & wine” in the event title.

So, was it worth it?
Definitely. As mentioned, hundreds of wines were available for tasting. A Shiraz lover could compare and contrast what each distributor offers – dozens of wines in total. If you like French wines, you could have tasted to your heart’s content. For ten years, this has been one of the wine events of the year for consumers in Beijing. You just need to ensure you have a sturdy bag if you stay until the end.

Note: Get my free e-newsletter about nightlife and wine in Beijing by sending an email to beijingboyce@yahoo.com with “sign me up” in the subject line. For more China wine info, join the Facebook group Grape Wall of China.

Still water still life

It’s not exactly turning water into wine, more like adding it to the product mix, as ASC Fine Wines introduces Voss to China and Macau. Summergate has Perrier, and now ASC is positioning itself to scoop up a bucketful of the premium bottled water market.

Beijing Boyce is a value-conscious consumer and has difficulty getting excited about things like this (I expect the stuff will cost more than 100 kuai for 500 ML at hotel restaurants). But he realizes some out there might be thirsty for information, so here you go:

- Voss springs from Norway and carries a hint of the Viking sweat that for centuries has steeped through the nation’s soil and finally reached its water supply.

- It is low in minerals and those it does have originate from the few micro-grams of pulverized Yangtze River dolphin bones added to each bottle, thus localizing the product and making it attractive in China as both a potential aphrodisiac and a rarity.

- The bottle was designed by the former creative director for Calvin Klein – apparently the director scrutinized a CK perfume sampler, dictated to lower-downs to “make it bigger and take the spray cap off”, and returned to sipping Whisky and water (Voss, of course).

Actually, only the bold parts above are true. As I said, I have trouble getting excited about this stuff…

Now for the consumer report: three people in my office have tried Voss and liked it – one even proclaimed it her favorite water. I also took a bottle to Mare last eve and gave some to a manager. “It’s soft,” he said. Well, there’s no doubting the water is good — it’s a matter of how much people are willing to pay for it.

By the way, Voss is popular with Lindsay Lohan. That’s not inspiring. I suggest trying to associate the water with someone a bit classier, say Scarlett Johannson.

And before anyone is so bold as to claim Voss as the purest water in the world, it is not. That honor goes to Canada.

In Beijing, Voss is available at Face, Centro and Lan.

Wine Word: Expect to see Edward Ragg and Fongyee Walker, former Cambridge University Blind Wine Tasting Society captains, about town as they have relocated to Beijing. / Ex-ASC Fine Wines Marketing Director Campbell Thompson has headed to Australia to begin work on a Master’s in Wine Marketing, but will return to Beijing in a few months. Adam Steinberg will join ASC as communications director and step down from his volunteer position as co-organizer of Beijing Wine Club (BWC). Jenn Hinkle, who has been active in the wine scene, will become more involved in BWC. / Capone’s is offering two-for-one on two white and six red wines by the glass, as well as all alcoholic drinks, from 5 to 8 PM nightly. / Cafe Europa offers seven wines by the glass (40-45 kuai per) in its regularly rotating lineup. It has started a “lazy Sunday” breakfast menu (10 AM-3 PM): fruit juice, toast, grilled tomatoes, baked beans, two eggs with bacon or sausage, and free flow coffee or tea, for 50 kuai. Other options include pancakes with maple syrup and yoghurt with fruits, walnuts and honey. / By the way, Opener, two flights up from Cafe Europa, is a sedate nighttime getaway. The drinks are pricey, but this spacious artsy place offers a dozen bottled beers and a small Whiskey collection, mellow music and comfortable seating. / As for wine tasting events, Sequoia Cafe is continuing its excellent Friday night gatherings, with this week’s featuring Slovenian wines (6:30 PM, 50 kuai, RSVP required: call Frank at 13701-178-073). The Beijing Wine Club will hold a tasting of Australian boutique wines on March 3 at Hao Feng Cellars in the Henderson Center (7 PM; 150 kuai). ASC will have a Riedel wine dinner at the American Club on March 13 with company CEO with Maximillian von Riedel (6:30, 888 kuai, price includes four wine glasses). Summergate will hold a Chateau Lafite wine dinner at Aria on March 20 with winery CEO Christophe Salin (7 PM, 1888 kuai).

Opening Shots comes from the Beijing Boyce biweekly e-newsletter. To subscribe, send an email to beijingboyce@yahoo.com with “Eat, Drink & Be Merry” in the subject line.

My spirits were high when Agent Red Wolf, O-Zone, Flash and I attended the November 24 Summergate wine tasting at China Lounge (150 kuai). Not only would we sample seven wines produced by the owner of Petrus, but also O-Zone and Flash import vino and would, one might think, have something useful to say. On top of this, Summergate provides tasting notes in a handy booklet that is perfect for geeks like me who arrive pen in hand.

We started with Jean Pierre Moueix (JPM) Bordeaux AOC 2003 (167 kuai), which seemed a bit sour and had a weak finish, and Christian Moueix Merlot 2003 (191 kuai), which was tastier, with strong cherry and slightly spicy aromas. The JPM Saint-Emilion AOC 2003 (299 kuai) and Pomerol AOC 2002 (395 kuai) were fine, although I didn’t find the bodies as full as indicated by the tasting notes, but the Chateau Grand Village 2001 (227 kuai) was musty and disappointing.

I enjoyed the last two wines. The JPM Chateau Plince 2001 (743 kuai) had plenty of acid, lots of ripe cherry flavors and good aftertaste. O-Zone described it as “round,” Agent Red Wolf loved it, and I thought it got better by the minute. The Chateau La Grave 2001 (827 kuai) had a consistent nose, with candy apple and fruit scents. I wrote “mouth joy” in my notes for some reason.

I was in agreement with O-Zone, who described the first four wines as “all nicely drinkable so far, but none of them have left an impression.” It may be that my amateur palate is not up to French wines, but I can’t see myself paying these prices for these wines. The same goes for the last two: while they were delicious, at about 100 dollars a bottle I’ll next be trying them when someone else foots the bill. Luckily, in this case, we tried all seven wines for 150 kuai, which was decent value, as evidenced by the crowded room.

What could be more appropriate after sampling French wine than loading up on Mexican food on Sanlitun North? First, Flash had to make a drop off at the nearby “diplomatic apartments.” We drove there and waited in the car while he went to the trunk, hauled out a box and gave it to a man who emerged from the apartments. Then he got back in the car.

Me: “What was in the box?”
Flash: [Smiles]
Me: “Come on, what’s in it?”
Flash: [Short pause] “Wine”
Me: “So why was that guy wearing a bathrobe?”

There followed a long pause. I find in moments such as these, whistling a TV theme song, such as that for Gilligan’s Island or The Smurfs, can do wonders. Given the nationalities of those in the car, Hogan’s Heroes seemed appropriate.

We headed for Saddle, which is across from Tongli Studio and enables us to order food from the new, nearby and affiliated Cox, and soon faced a table loaded with burritos, salads, cheese sticks, wings and the like. After the Summergate tasting, our palates were finely tuned, and we matched this feast with ice-cold Qingdao. As for the food, I found that the wings were a rocky marriage of sauce and meat, while the burritos were outstanding, with a hearty nose and hints of Tabasco.

We then waddled down to Shooters, where I treated Flash and O-Zone to Pink Panties (Vodka, Peach Schnapps and something I can’t recall). The experience was so compelling that we had not left and gone 100 meters from the place when both of them had second thoughts and we returned for a few more shots, including one bearing an unprintable name.

We finished the evening by visiting Opener? (see review in issue XXVII), which is in the less than inspiring Jianwai Soho complex and run by the former owner of First Cafe, where I first met O-Zone, Flash and Agent Red Wolf. The music, lighting and ambiance were subdued. With Budweiser in hand, it was a relaxing finish to an evening that spanned Petrus, Pink Panties and Bordeaux, and showed just how cosmopolitan is our fair city.

(From Beijing Boyce XXVIII, first emailed on December 23, 2006)

Cafe Pause will feature German music and Jagermeister cocktails on September 23 (8 PM on), and co-owner Stefan Fleischer is offering a free shooter to anyone wearing Leiderhosen. / Crowne Plaza Hotel’s Champagne Bar has 鈥渂ubbles for babes鈥?every Thursday from 9 PM, with free Van Gogh vodka cocktails and Champagne cocktails for women. / Zeta Bar starts with 鈥渮,鈥?which apparently requires the Hilton Hotel’s zany marketers to zealously use this zippy letter a zillion times (yes, I can do it, too). Thus, the bar has half off martinis on Mondaze, two-for-one Zeta-themed cocktails on Tuesdays, and 50 percent off Whizky on Wednesdays, all before 9 PM. There’s Champagne and Zequins (sequins? sea queens? segues?) on Thursday, with two-for-one Moet Chandon for ladies from 6 PM to midnight, and half off select bottles from 9 PM to midnight on Pingzi Fridays. By the way, if you have not checked out Zeta, the decor alone is worth the trip. / The wine will flow free courtesy of Summergate at that’s Beijing ‘s five-year anniversary and starving artists’ party at C5 Gallery (2-6 PM), between Peter Pan and Serve the People in Sanlitun. The event will include performances by Panjir Trio and Ah-Q, with the latter about to release its first CD. / Jebsen will hold a tasting of six Rosemount wines on September 23 at Stone Boat (7-9 PM, 100 kuai). Ethan Perk, formerly with Montrose, has joined Jebsen as deputy general manager. / YPHH and The Tree will hold a Belgian beer night on September 26 on the Youyi Hostel terrace (6:30-11 PM; 100 kuai YPHH members, 150 kuai non-members). / China World Hotel and Torres team up on September 28 for a five-course gourmet dinner, by Aria Chef de Cuisine Nicholas Blaira, paired with Peter Lehmann wines (888 kuai). / ASC Fine Wines has a full slate of wine tasting events, including a Penfolds dinner at Garden of Delights (October 13), a Skalli dinner at Aria (October 18) and a Bollinger dinner at Jaan, Raffles (October 24; 988 kuai). / Montrose sent me emails about a Herradura tequila launch party at China Lounge and a wine club event on September 21, but I was unable to access the company’s Web site (www.montrosechina.com).

(From Beijing Boyce XXIV, first emailed on September 21, 2006)

The lady bar touts and substance pushers seemed sparser on Sanlitun North the past few weeks. A recent stroll down the main drag attracted only six “sexy girl” solicitations, in contrast to the usual dozen, and not one “Hey man, want some stuff?” was muttered as I walked the side streets to Apertivo. Where hath the intrepid intruders gone? Perhaps they took advantage of the new Beijing-Tibet express and are on summer leave. Or maybe they were turfed by the notorious security guards at nearby Tongli Studio (true, no bodies have been found, but a telling sign would be if the area’s kebabs suddenly tasted gamey). Whatever the reason, any break from these — let’s be generous – carbon-based life forms is as refreshing as when strong winds occasionally dilute Beijing’s air pollution. Unfortunately, it’s usually just as short-lived. / Speaking of Apertivo, I’ve been there twice this month. The service is reasonable, it’s a nice place to chat with friends on a pleasant summer evening, and things would be even better with an upgraded by-the-glass wine selection. / Across the street, Saddle offers a minimalist menu of burritos, Spanish fried rice, salsa and chips, and fajitas as well as Pepe Lopez, Camino, Jose Cuervo, Olmeca and Conquistador tequilas. These brands cover the less-than-100-percent agave end of the tequila spectrum and some premium varieties would surely be welcomed. Saddle also has something called “Brett funnel” on Fridays, which involves chugging a beer via a tube for 10 kuai, and is not for the faint of stomach. / The Pavillion has a two-for-one happy hour, 5 to 8 PM, that covers house wines, cocktails, soft drinks, and beer, excluding Guinness and Kilkenny. In addition to an excellent patio, The Pavillion also has: 1) proper wine glasses; 2) one of Beijing’s more impressive Whisky selections; and 3) a slight identity crisis, since upon arrival patrons may come across anything from an alcohol-free graduation party to a beer-fueled rugby-mad crowd, with things thankfully tending toward the middle. / Maggie’s has upped its bottled Qingdao to 30 kuai from 20 kuai. Otherwise, it’s the same old, same old, which means hot dogs out front, reliable music inside, and an ambience that doesn’t live up to the former locale on Gongti East. / Shunyi-based sports bar The Pomegranate had a high-tech summer as it added a video projector, 42-inch flat screen, and wireless Internet access. My suburban friends tell me this is a good spot to sip a few beers, eat some pub grub, and catch a game. / DJ David Lindinger will spin all-plastic sets of “nujazz, groove and house music” at Q Bar on Fridays during September. This is a bit surprising since some owners were once strongly opposed to a DJ and since patrons seem to love the current ambience, which includes blues and jazz tunes. Q Bar seems to be drifting from the cocktail-first culture of First Cafe and Midnight, where two of the owners cut their teeth, and this will no doubt worry some long-loyal customers, including yours truly. I mean, this is like the city-specific that’s Beijing putting a huge brochure-like picture of Thailand on its cover (oh wait, it just did that, or do I have a copy of that’s Bangkok in my hand?). Or like me adding a dozen book reviews to my bar newsletter (oh wait again…). / Speaking of which, rumblings abound that Keiko Shirata, who owned First Cafe until it was chai’d about a month ago, is planning to open a new spot in Beijing. / Each of my four visits to Rui Fu has found this lounge/club increasingly busy and fun. My initial reservations have been cancelled by its spirited groove, interesting clientele and decent music (though a bit loud last time). The cocktails are a problem. As oft mentioned elsewhere, Rui Fu is a place to see and be seen, with last Friday featuring a marathon of seeing and being seen that left my ocular nerves exhausted and thus, having saw and been sawn, I resolved to wear an eye patch next time and thus maximize seeage and being seenage while minimizing strain (that is, when I return from my vacation at a coastal apiary - a sea and bee scene.) Putting preening aside, Rui Fu’s menu includes numerous pricing oddities such as Johnnie Walker Red and Johnnie Walker Black both at Y35, suggesting the latter will increase in price with the club’s popularity. Let’s wait and see (and be seen). / Capone’s plans to open a restaurant in Beijing. The general manager says his aim is to have “one of the biggest if not the biggest wine selections in Beijing.” / Also coming to the Jing: Hong Kong’s Park 97 and Middle-class America’s Hooters. / Finally, there are lots of choices out there for tonight, Friday, September 1. Frank’s Place will hold an end-of-summer party with all-you-can-drink Freixenet sparkling wine (7PM, 100 kuai) and its weekly pool tournament (8 PM, 50 kuai per person, winner takes all). Summergate will have a tasting of South Australia’s Kingston wines at Face Bar (7-10 PM, 100 kuai). Stone Boat has Muwen playing (9:30 PM), Q Bar sees its inaugural DJ night, and Rui Fu apparently has DJ Edmund, a friend of a friend from Taipei, spinning tunes.

(From Beijing Boyce XXIII, first emailed on August 31, 2006)

Suzie Wong marked her birthday with a massive party last Saturday night that reportedly saw hundreds of people lining up at the door. / 5:19 Bar and Grill is starting a darts league next month and has all-you-can-drink Fridays (100 kuai until end of August) and all-you-can-drink draft on Wednesdays (50 kuai and up, depending on your poison). / First the Sanlitun beer mug was chai’d and now another nearby spot is on the dust heap of Beijing bar history. (See below: The Last of the First) / Wine-wise, Palette Vino in Shunyi has opened a kitchen to complement its wine tasting area; Summergate will host an Elderton wine tasting on August 1 at Bentos and Berries (50 kuai; reservations required); ASC Fine Wines will start its Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses later this summer and will hold a cocktail party featuring Freixenet sparkling wine on July 29 at Bed (60 kuai, includes two drinks); and The Cellar has memberships available in its wine club. / The Bookworm will soon launch a second branch – in Chengdu. / And after a short hiatus, the Beijing Cheese Society was back in action Monday, with a tasting of English artisanal cheeses at Le Palais. Speaking of which, Aria is holding The Pleasure of Cheese, with fromage from “the finest cheese capitals of the world,” August 1-25.

(From Beijing Boyce XXI, first emailed on July 27, 2006) 

Richard Millar, the ex-Aria chef who was working at Pavillion, has moved to T-8 in Shanghai. / Torres has launched its website at www.torreschina.com. / ASC Fine Wines will hold a brunch on June 25 with guest chef George Calombaris (550 kuai) and a five-course dinner on June 27 with chef Andrew McKee (1188 kuai). Both events are at Aria and feature Penfolds wine and winemaker Oliver Crawford. / Summergate will hold a tasting of Georges Duboeuf wine at new French restaurant Le Parfum on June 27 (7-10 PM), with Zhu Yi-bing playing cello (100 kuai). / Beer Mania has Delirium Tremors on tap (40 kuai for 500 ML, regular 55 kuai) during happy hour, 4-8 PM (including weekends). Cocktails are two-for-one. / George Zhou at Q Bar has been experimenting with a tasty mint-based cocktail. Get their early in the evening before things get busy. / Top Club will have having a 70s dress party on July 14, so break out the wide lapels and bellbottoms. / And on a final soccer note, The Game of Their Lives, an inspiring documentary of North Korea’s improbable advance to the quarter finals of the 1966 World Cup, which included beating Italy 1-0, will be shown before on July 9 in Ritan Park’s central compound, just before the final game of this year’s tournament. / Eat, drink, and be merry, and if you can’t pass your teammates a ball, pass them a beer. BB.

(From Beijing Boyce XIX, first emailed on June 21, 2006)

Torres will hold a “European Lifestyle Party” at the Sunstyle Show Room on June 10 (7-10 PM), with Torres (Spain), Baron Philippe De Rothschild (France) and Zonin (Italy) wines, and family representatives from the three wineries (150 kuai). / Palette offers a “Refreshing Wines for Summer Party” on June 10 (7 PM), with six wines, at its Shunyi Store (100 kuai). / Summergate presents “California Sun, Fun & Wine” at Le Quai on June 13 (7-10 PM), with 11 wines from Delicato, and inery president Chris Delicato in town (100 kuai). / ASC Fine Wines is having a Chateau Clarke Wine Dinner, with winery GM Bertrand Otto attending, at the newly opened NHU on June 17 (688 kuai). / On June 24, Montrose will hold a Barossa Valley Estate (Australia) wine dinner at Alameda, which last month won that’s Beijing’s restaurant of the year award (7:30 PM; 598 kuai).

(From Beijing Boyce XVIII, first emailed on June 8, 2006)

The three-floor TRIO is set to open in about two weeks, with a New York-style grill on top, the new Frank’s Place at ground level, and The Cellar down below. The latter is intriguing, as torch lighting and live jazz are promised, with wine club members getting storage space for their personal collections. / ASC Fine Wines marks its tenth anniversary next week and deserves a tip of the hat for its work in bringing the good drop to China. / Rumor (and I hope this is true) has it that Cafe Pause, partly owned by Palette Vino’s Stefan Fleischer, may start holding wine tasting events. By the way, Palette will have a Tempranillo tasting on April 22 (7:30 PM) and a “Premium Wines from Australia” tasting on April 28 (8 PM) at its Shunyi store (100 kuai for non-members; email irene@palettewines.cn to RSVP or for details). And Palette finally has a website (www.palettewines.cn)! / Daniel VanderHave has left Palette to become a brand manager for wine at Jebsen. / John Bull Pub features “Steals and Deals” on Friday (April 21). “Check out our bin ends,” writes proprietor Frank Siegel. Whites are available from 90 kuai to 300 kuai; reds are available from 75 kuai to 250 kuai. No corkage from 6 to 8 PM. / Pinot Noir lovers, East Meets West (EMW) wines is teaming up with Aria for the Gibbston Valley Wine Dinner on April 27 (688 kuai per person). Clausio Heye of New Zealand’s Gibbston will be on hand for the five-course dinner by Aria Chef Andrew Mckee. / Montrose has 50 percent off on select wines at its Kerry Centre shop, April 21-23 (www.montrosechina.com) and Ethan Perk is writing a wine column for Lifestyle magazine. / I went to two wine tastings over the past two weeks. One was by ASC at The Pavillion, and the other was by Summergate, at Bento & Berries, and I’ve yet to transcribe my notes from either. I’ll have these as well as more on the Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre) wine selection next issue.

(From Beijing Boyce XV, first emailed on April 21, 2006)

On the wine watch, the next John Bull Pub “entry level” tasting will feature a Grace Vineyards rose, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon (Friday, April 7, 6 to 8 PM). Bottles are available on site. I’m hoping John Bull’s Frank Siegel soon teams up with Summergate for a Catai tasting. / Speaking of which, I hear — gasp! — Palette wines will finally have a web site. That puts pressure on Summergate to join the new millennium. Honestly, a company distributing wine and not having a web site is like someone writing a bars newsletter and not having a blog, except that the first case involves a business (and wine!). / As mentioned earlier, ASC Fine Wines celebrates its tenth anniversary this month and, according to a press release, employs 220 people, represents 800 wines and 80 wineries from 13 countries, and has gone from 22,000 bottles sold in 1996 to two million bottles last year. The company has a home delivery special featuring some of the most popular wineries it has represented over the past ten years. Get two bottles each of Beringer Stone Cellars Merlot (2003), Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon (2003), Mascaron Par Ginestet Bordeaux Rouge AOC (2003), Santa Rita “120″ Sauvignon Blanc (2005), Louis Jodot Bourgogne Pinot Noir AOC (2003) and Ruffino Chianti Superiore IL LEO DOCG (2003), plus two Cabernet/Merlot and two Sangiovese/Riesling Riedel glasses, for 1500 kuai (regular price: 2586 kuai). For details, call 6418-1598 or go to www.asc-wines.com. / I’m going to have to delay once more the Canadian cheese tasting story and my rant, “You gotta fight, for your right, to fapiao!” Expect these, several wine tasting write-ups, Agent Red Wolf’s top-five Long Island list, and more in the next issue. / Until then, eat, drink and be merry. Cheers, BB.

(From Beijing Boyce XIV, first emailed on April 6, 2006)

Summergate Fine Wines & Spirits has moved to Han Wei Plaza (17F, 7 Guanghua Road / 6562-1800). Unfortunately, they still – and this is beyond me – have no website. ~ The Pavillion is offering patrons a chance to be a bartender for a day. Pick up the application forms at the bar. ~ I generally get good service at Centro at night. Not so during the afternoons. Recently, after receiving no attention from the staff, I left my cozy chair twice and went to the bar to order my drinks and then get my bill. Plus, is there some kind of staff no-smiling rule during the afternoon? Customers paying RMB50 or more for a coffee deserve better. ~ ASC has three new mixed-case promotions. Each 13-bottle set, ranging from RMB1200 to RMB2400, includes Laurent-Perrier Champagne (if you haven’t tried it, here’s you chance) at 32% to 40% off list prices. ASC is also offering 30% off select sets of four Vinum series Riedel glasses, including Bordeaux (RMB670), Chianti Classico (RMB599) and Cuvee Prestige (RMB599). (Though I wish they wouldn’t always use that same Robert Parker quote about Riedel crystal. Mix it up a bit, guys!) ~ I met the Aussino wine company people at a party a few weeks back and they are planning some Beijing events in the New Year. I’ll l keep you informed. ~ Journalist, China specialist and logician (how does he make so much sense after so many beers!?) Ralph Jennings has a crafty little blog at www.livejournal.com/users/lalaoshi ~ Plans for my rap band Bling Dynasty are coming along nicely. We’ve already got several songs in the works: Yo! Mae Yo!, Hot Mama Huhu and Mi Bad, Yu Bad, Mai Bad. I’ll l keep you updated on any concert dates. ~ Last, but not least, best wishes to everyone during the holidays. Eat, drink and be merry people. Cheers! JB.

(From Beijing Boyce VI, first emailed on December 14, 2005)

Riverside Cafe has closed and will, it appears, become another Schindler’s. Good news for sausage and sauerkraut lovers, bad news for fans of the cafe and its excellent RMB20 wine glasses. (I should have stocked up. Anyone know where I can get more?) / Black Jack Garden (where I once coaxed a bartender into making me a Jagermeister martini. Ah, the memories) has also been uprooted. / The back loft in Le Quai (inside Gongti West) is a great place to spend a few hours while watching people ice fish, skate and play hockey on the river outside. Cozy couches and a good selection of drinks (RMB25-50; try the fruit cocktail), the only drawback is that sound really carries from the room below. / Until Chinese New Year, icehouse will only open for events, such as the Chopschticks comedy shows (next one: January 14). The owners have hired Guy Duarte as GM. The restaurant and lounge to which icehouse is attached are open as usual. / It started with Babyface a year ago and now Gongti West is becoming club central. Angel, Cargo (backed by Mix), Queen Club and the soon-to-open Coco Banana (backed by Banana) and Cutie Club are like peas in the pod there, with Vics and Mix around the corner. That hundred-meter strip could become the world’s biggest market for Chivas and green tea. Good. We must isolate such drinkers from society at large. / That gargantuan, half-finished and long-dormant building behind the Sanlitun beer mug is now host to a flurry of construction, the attendant noise intruding upon The Bookworm. There could be a double whammy on book and wireless lovers when drilling starts on the huge nearby Sanlitun South project. The Bookworm has a growing collection of new books and magazines for sale, a jewelry corner by Things of The Jing and 2006 seminars planned with Kent Kedl (The China Ready Company), Tim Clissold (Mr. China) and “Maggot Detective” Mark Benecke (his slide shows are not for the weak of stomach), among others. / Jenny Lou’s continues to expand its empire with a takeover of Eight over Eight’s space (Sanlitun North). (Note: I went there and four other stores in a vain search for a plunger – the staff at each spot were amused as I used body language to demonstrate unblocking a toilet. I tell you, there’s nothing worse than having a dozen full-bladdered house guests waiting for the maintenance guy to come and fix the loo.) / Thanks to BB readers Ro King, Agent Hidden Dragon and Agent Gold Monkey for donating money to help fund a heart operation for a two-month-old orphan named Tian Yue. (See last issue for the Scrooge-like details as to why an extra drive for cash was needed.) GE also came through with major support. Tian Yue had surgery on Boxing Day and so far, so good. / Thanks also to my boss, who seemed to be the only laoban in Beijing who didn’t require the staff to wear Christmas hats – as was required by workers at Shin Yeh, Le Quai, Starbuck’s, ad infinitum – the past few weeks. (I simply don’t look good in red with white fringe.) / Torres Wine has moved its office to near Green T. House (I couldn’t find the actual address since, like that of Summergate Wines, the Torres website is not working. C’mon guys, it’s almost 2006!). Torres will have a free tasting every Friday, 4-6 PM and until the end of December (short notice!) offers “buy two, get one free” on Baron Philippe de Rothschild Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon (RMB67), Signos Shiraz (RMB55) and Prosecco Angela Viano (RMB 85). / I went to Pinnacle Plaza with friends to buy a Christmas tree and popped into Palette Wines (good deal on Stickleback: RMB85 per bottle) and then into Jenny Lou’s where, lo and behold, they had over 500 different wines and a wine tasting to boot (it consisted of a “blind tasting” where one guessed if the wine was a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Okay, I guessed right. Now what? Do I win something? No? I don’t get the concept). / Finally, I was busy apartment hunting and moving the past two weeks, so this issue is heavy on First Impressions and light on in-depth pieces. I’ll have more next time around.

(From Beijing Boyce VII, first emailed on December 29, 2005)

Time is running out for spending fantastic fall nights on a rooftop or deck. Options include The Big Easy (relaxing), Suzie Wong (people watching), Nuage (views of Hou Hai and the drum and bell towers) and Hai Bar (the same, but more rustic and cheaper). / Want to see the Astros win the World Series? Be a benchwarmer at the Goose and Duck or John Bull Pub. / Wine industry bigwigs constantly come to town since everyone wants a drop of China. I’m working on putting together wine tasting listings. / If you haven’t seen Ah-Q bring down the house at CD Jazz Club, catch their show on Thursday nights. Trombonist Matt Roberts says the house has been packed of late and he’s trying to figure out an encore. Ah-Q was playing at icehouse but the club, being a blues bar, wanted an, um, blues band, which makes you wonder why they hired a jazz one to begin with. / Steak and Eggs vegetarian omelet with hash browns and toast: RMB19. Get this and three other breakfast specials before 11 AM, or four RMB25 lunch specials, all October, as the place celebrates its anniversary. / Would Summergate wine please get a web page? You guys have some nice Antinori products, but make it too hard to find out about them. / The Starving Artists Party on September 15 at Yan Club was another finely run event by that’s Beijing, which includes the restaurant awards at Bar Blu and bar awards at Zing by Doodoo’s. It helps to partner with ASC Fine Wines, who poured Chilean Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sculpting in Time, which provided the eats. Funnily enough, I ran into a pair of Italian journalists were had just arrived in Beijing that day. And where did they hear about the party? From another journalist in North Korea. / The next issue includes Marketing Beverages on the Great Wall, Beer Mania, Books: Those Things Made Out of Paper, $10,000 wine glasses, A Bar with an Identity Crisis, and more. / Build the community: If you know people who would like this newsletter, pass it on. They just need to send a message to me to get on the mailing list. / Again, your comments and questions are welcome. I do realize that this issue is nearly 3,000 words long. Believe me: my fingers barely have the strength to pick up the single shot of 10-year-old Balvenie Single Malt I allow myself each month. Cheers, BB.

(From Beijing Boyce II, first emailed on October 20, 2005) 

The annual Hilton wine fest a couple of weeks ago filled two floors of the hotel, with over 160 producers from Canada (How often is Canada listed first when it comes to wine? Go Canada!), Italy, Australia, the U.S., France, New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, Germany, Austria, and other grape-growing nations. I tasted 52 wines – these were sips, not full glasses, my friends – along with the buffet, for a measly RMB250 (US$30).

I also looked like a total poseur by writing tasting notes on my little black pad – unfortunately, I forgot my turtleneck sweater and Robert Parker book or I could have really stood out. Even so, when going through enough labels to make a deck of cards, you need a way to remember what was good, bad and ugly. It’s funny how my early notes use descriptions like “fruity,” “fresh,” “acidic” and “earthy,” while later ones are more, uh, creative: “hints of Sprite,” “honestly mundane,” “this grape’s got [sic] identity crisis” and “tastes like birch bark” (which I’m pretty sure I’ve never tasted). It’s also funny how you think a wine tastes like, say, birch bark, but then the distributor approaches and says it has “a delicate nose, a full body and a passionate finish” – and you suddenly realize it’s true! (And, in the case of this description, get turned on.) When the same expert points out the “notes of Saskatoon berries,” you swear you can taste them even if you’ve never eaten, seen or heard of this fruit, or know where Saskatoon is (it’s in Canada, which at least in this inaugural newsletter, ranks first in wine. Go Grape White North!).

Thanks to Stefan Fleischer of Palette, who explained his company’s wines and had us taste each of them in the proper order. (Stefan is opening a coffee shop in the art district – Dashanzi – more details to come). Beijing’s other four leading distributors were also there – ASC Fine Wines, Montrose, Torres and Summergate. By the way, to those who know that my cell phone and I parted ways that night, it was not lost, I repeat, it was not lost. Someone stole it. I clearly remember putting my phone down at 9:34 PM (26 minutes left to taste!) to exchange business cards and minutes later it was, so to speak, Gone with the Wine. Be careful fellow tasters. Cell phones disappear as quickly as that last glass of Bollinger’s.

(From Beijing Boyce I, first emailed on October 6, 2005)