Ladies and Gentlemen: Raise your glasses to Beijing in September, the month of blue skies and cooler breezes. Friends have returned from holidays abroad, the children are back in school and, as Keats wrote, "We begin the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness." Chen Li, of Cafe Europa, says this season is called "heuriger" in Austria - the time to enjoy the sunshine before winter comes and to drink young wine with bread, cheese and grapes.

While Beijing is far from our alumni homecomings and family reunions, many of us still feel the draw of the harvest season - great food, good wine and warm conversation. But, how do you choose among, say, an Italian Nebbiolo d'Alba, a South African Sauvignon Blanc and a Baron Philippe de Rothschild Merlot? The answer, according to a Beijing wine dealer, "is on the tip of your tongue. Good taste in wine is subjective and you will discover your own favorites by tasting."  So, fellow imbibers, it is all in the glass. Thank goodness the Beijing wine scene grows more vibrant each season.

In September, Beijing offers a plethora of wine tasting events focused on good food and meeting friends. Check out the Events Listing to find one for you. There are both regular wine clubs as well as one-off events.

If you want to know more about wine, ASC Fine Wines is launching the first (WSET) Wine & Spirit Education Trust programs in China. This series of courses goes from introduction to wine through advanced diplomas for professionals.

When you start buying wines, you will want to store them properly. The Cellar at Trio, at Jiantai Xilu, not only provides wine by the bottle, but also offers temperature-controlled storage for members' collections.

"Right about now, I begin to long for wine with dinner," says Andrew Skuse from Adelaide. "Beer is good when it is hot, but in the autumn, give me a hearty Shiraz, preferably Australian." So, it's time to find the corkscrew because September is the month to appreciate the drink that wine writer Laurence Osborne calls a nuanced zone of pleasure.