Head on a journey through the Shanghai wine scene
Things wine related are breeding like proverbial bunnies in this city, which is great as it means more choice, less hassle, and hopefully better prices. But choosing that perfect vintage and the locale to drink it in can still be a game of chance, and more choices can also mean confusion and intimidation from those wine snobs and their cryptic vocabulary. So, to help level the playing field and bring things back to earth, here are our picks from our vast online database for some of the best players in Shanghai. It'll make your next glass (or bottle) less of a roll of the dice.

Written by Michael Elliott, Illustrations by Alan Chew

Napa Reserve
As one of the only importers of wines from Napa Valley, this retail store carries an almost exclusively Californian portfolio with the consequent price point. They also supply wine dinners and events, as well as offer semi-regular tastings and bookable private tasting rooms.

Californian content
Epicvre stocks a well-chosen selection of French wines and offers wine by the glass and a range of imported foods.

Globus Wine Cellar
Knowledgeable staff and a selection of old and new world wines, as well as a range of privately imported champagnes, make shopping here a pleasure, as does their Ferguson Lane location, a too cute, two table terrace and sizeable tasting table for their bi-monthly tastings.

Enoteca Barely a year old, Enoteca was one of the first combination wine bar, restaurant, and retailers on the Shanghai scene. A great selection of bottles, helpful staff and a winning menu mean guaranteed oenophilic pleasure at either the Anfu Lu or Xintiandi locations. The latter boasts a nice little patio.

Enoterra and Radonda
WineMall purchases directly from wineries so they offer competitive prices as well as Saturday tastings.

Napa Kitchen & Wine Bar
In a converted period mansion, this recently opened combination of restaurant, wine bar, and private club also offers wine courses through ASC's Wine Residence and adds another welcome high-end venue to Shanghai's wine scene. Club membership comes with a personal alcove in their temperature-controlled cellar, as well as other wine related perks.

Awesome cellar
Vin Wine Cellar offers the French Grand Crus as well as less expensive bottles and holds tastings upstairs.

ASC
One of China's largest wine importers has been on the scene since 1996, representing some 80 different wineries. Boasting that one of every three bottles opened in China is an ASC wine, they offer a comprehensive range of vintages available through their website and also host regular tasting events and dinners.

Torres China
This sizable Spanish-based importer, established in China since 1997, offers a wide range of wines with a free delivery service in Shanghai and other major Chinese cities, along with monthly events, promotions and bin end sales.

Summergate
Importing a range of high-end to moderately priced wines from major producers since 1999, Summergate organizes wine dinners and tastings which often turn into somewhat of a party. They also offer delivery ordering by phone (website coming soon) and delivery throughout Shanghai.

Just Grapes
With a great worldwide selection, they present a unique approach by labelling wines with their predominant flavors, level of sweetness and general characteristics. Add to this easy access at three different locations plus affordable tastings and heading here makes purchasing your next bottle that much easier.

Otto

Another initiator of the Shanghai wine scene, Otto's well-chosen and ever-changing selection of over 30 wines by the glass means you can create your own personalised tasting on any given night. Combine this with a stellar Italian-infused menu and it's hard to find a reason for not stopping in, especially at their new People's Square patio. Move Ahead Three Spaces A superb al fresco setting Bonus Points
Inventive patio furniture

Screw You

Sommeliers sound off on screw caps versus cork
Pioneered in the 1970s and gathering momentum since the 1990s, screw cap wines are a rising tide, ready to shed their initial association with cheaper bottles. Due to the unpredictability of authentic cork, "corked" wines (wines spoiled when they react with chemicals in the cork or are exposed to air by a dried out or shrunken cork) account for five to 10 percent of all cork closed wines and consequently, financial losses. As a result, the wine industry has been looking for alternatives for years. In that sense, screw caps can actually guarantee quality. Convenience is also a factor. "When my staff have to open 150 bottles in one hour, they definitely appreciate screw cap wines," says Kelvin Tay, director of wine at the Pudong Shangri-La. On a domestic level as well, "modern drinkers find it much easier as they don't have to search for that corkscrew," states Yvonne Chiong, wine director of WHM Group. But are we ready to let go of the cork?

What about the experience of opening a bottle? Jean-Marc Nolant, sommelier-manager of the new Park Hyatt, is less sentimental than Tay and Chiong, seeing great wines as a reflection of soil, terroir and the skill of the winemaker. "It isn't in the label or the bottle itself," he says. For Chiong, regular drinking and medium-premium wines pose no problem. "But for premium wines," she adds, "I still like a cork. Nothing will beat the feeling of skilfully opening a bottle, and examining and nosing the cork." Tay goes even further: "Personally, I hate screw tops. I'm a big collector of corkscrews and such, and screw tops really make me miss the moment ... it just isn't as special."

If refined sommeliers have mixed feelings, what do consumers think? "Mature drinkers tend to be sensitive to the screw top issue," concedes Chiong. "Still, at the end of the day, if they know the wine well, they won't really be bothered by it. Ultimately it's about the wine, not the top that you're going to throw away right after." Nolant agrees and has seen even less resistance from consumers. "In my experience," he says, "clients are ready for screw tops. I've certainly not encountered any negative responses on the part of clients." Tay boils it down to exposure. "Most expat clients are used to screw tops and don't have a negative reaction," he states. "The same in Hong Kong and Singapore, but in Shanghai many people still associate screw tops with low end wines."

So, are we going to see any high-priced Bordeaux follow the screw cap trend in the next decade or two? "I'd be very surprised, certainly not in the next 10 years, I don't think the French would ever do it," says Tay. Chiong as well seems unsure, "I don't think that [Bordeaux producers] would make such a decision, furthermore the cork is still essential for a wine that needs to age." Nolant, however, remains pragmatic. "Absolutely it will happen," he posits. "Tests are being done with aging screw cap wine, and with less and less cork available from Spain and Portugal, I think it's inevitable."

Wine 101

Making you into a smarter drinker
Don't know your Cab Sauv from your Sauv Blanc? Wondering which end of the corkscrew you should be using? For the wine curious, the wine challenged, and the wine fanatic, Shanghai has a variety of courses appropriately gauged for the depth and level of education you're looking for. Ruby Red offers a variety of classes, among them a two-hour introductory class the second Saturday of every month. Limited to a maximum of 18 people and taught in both English and Chinese, topics include how wine is made, tasting and serving procedure, purchase and storage, French regions and more, which at ￥60, is a pretty fair deal. Meanwhile, in Hongqiao, the Community Center Shanghai offers frequent classes in wine appreciation with much the same goals as Ruby Red for ￥500 a pop. Or, if you think that this newfound passion might be a bit more serious, the Shanghai Expat Learning Center teaches an in-depth, 10-week course designed to offer participants a more thorough knowledge base and a chance to familiarize themselves with most of the world's major wine styles and regions. Unfortunately the next one starts late this fall but registration is now open, so if you're looking for an in-depth amateur course, mark it on your calendar. For those seeking an international qualification, two organizations now offer such courses in Shanghai. The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), an established certifier from the UK, holds courses through the ASC Wine Residence, while wine education company Ease Scent offers both WSET and International Sommeliers Guild courses geared towards the local Chinese-language market. If you're not the class-taking type but do like the occasional bottle then do yourself a favour: keep a list of the wines you've tasted and why you liked or hated them. This, combined with a bit of reading (either online or in something called a "book") is a great way to start accumulating some basic wine expertise.

The Great Debate

Leaders of four of Shanghai's wine groups give us their answer to the age old question, red or white?

Andrew Bigbee

Position: Le Maître
Group: Commanderie de Bordeaux Shanghai Chapter
I prefer red wine over white wine because of the complexity, variety, maturity and the taste of red wines. Growing up in Texas, I am also a fan of a big fat juicy American steak, and nothing goes better with it than the big, bold and rich taste of a good Cabernet Sauvignon ... heaven!

François Lemonnier

Position: Chairman
Group: Shanghai Wine Society
I prefer red wine because generally it is more complex and it ages better. I love aged wines and regret that the trend is to drink younger wines where the fruit overpowers the subtle aroma that can develop only over the years. Remember, "be patient and you will be rewarded!"

Thomas Weil

Position: Cigarmaster
Group: Beefsteak & Burgundy Club Shanghai
I prefer red wine, because it relaxes my nervous system, stimulates my blood circulation, strengthens my immune system and goes great with a cigar. And most importantly, it just tastes so delicious!

Michael Lee

Position: Director
Group: Wine for Life
This is like choosing between one of your own kids ... cutting off a limb ... The additional variables of tannin and oak treatment in red wines provides another playing field in which magic can happen, resulting in wines where time (aging) plays a part and not just the nature of fruit's character, which determines the means of enjoyment.