Head of the Class
In addition to the fantastic range of vintages available in Beijing, there are also some excellent opportunities to learn about what you’re drinking. These range from informal wine tasting clubs to formal wine courses resulting in qualifications. Gabe Suk of The Beijing Wine Club (gabriel.suk@gmail.com) regularly organizes informal, informative, modestly priced tastings. Recent events have included a comparative tasting of six Pinot Noirs from around the world and a comparison of New World and Old World wine styles. The best known formal qualification for the wine trade is the WSET program from the UK, and there are a number of WSET program providers in China, including Fongyee Walker and Edward Ragg of Dragon Phoenix (www.longfengwines.com, tel: 5960-4050). Offering three course levels catering from beginners to fully-fledged wine geeks, these well structured and professionally delivered programs include lots of tastings and are a great way to learn.
Campbell Thompson
Managing Director of The Wine Republic
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