Drinking wine should be enjoyable, but it can all too easily become an intimidating and awkward experience for those who are new to the beverage or put off by the often esoteric descriptions of tannins and fruits and oakiness. But there are many opportunities in Beijing to hone your knowledge of oenology. ASC, with its new three-story Wine Gallery, has excellent educational facilities. The wine importer offers three levels of Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses throughout the year, with some in Chinese and some in English. Call 6587-3808 ext. 277 for a schedule and details. Dragon Phoenix Wine Consulting also offers bilingual courses throughout the year. These wine courses are serious stuff, though, and advanced-level certification can cost up to ¥10,000. If you’re not looking to use your wine knowledge professionally, more casual wine tastings can also be extremely educational. For example, Dao Le (5821-1353) hosts monthly tasting events with a representative from EMW wines to explain what you’re drinking and answer all your questions.
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