For a guide to wine events in Beijing, wine tips and tricks and wine suggestions, please click here to download our October newsletter.

October’s column outlines the vineyards and wineries around Beijing that you can visit. We discuss the various options of visiting ones both near (in Haidian!) and far afield where you can stay overnight amidst the vines.

To read the entire article, please click here.

ASC had two important events last month: Champagne Ayala’s launch in the Chinese market (3rd Sept) and an unforgettable Australian tasting from Penfolds (24th Sept). Ayala’s Champagnes have really improved since being taken over by Bollinger.

We thought the standard Ayala Brut Majeur was the best overall wine, but the 2000 Ayala Blanc de Blancs will be very good in a few years.

The Penfolds ‘Rewards of Patience’ tasting showed how entry-level wine Koonunga Hill can age beautifully with vintages going back to 1986. But the most breath-taking part of the afternoon was the vertical of Grange,  Australia’s most iconic and age-worthy red with the 1983, 1991, 1998, 1999 and 2003 vintages on show. Great wines all round.

But the biggest crowd was attracted by Torres China’s 2nd Taste of the Nations extravaganza: a real opportunity to taste the majority of the family-owned Torres now offers. With vintage Taittinger Champagne, Torres’s top Mas La Plana red, fine Tawny Port from Graham’s and other gems available, this was no budget tasting. We look forward to next year’s Taste of the Nations!

For more on these tastings - check out our wine blog!

We’re delighted to announce that the students who recently took their WSET Level 3 International Higher and Advanced certification courses with us have achieved great results!

Not only did all our candidates pass, 100% achieved Passed with Merit, a considerable achievement.

The WSET Level 3 is the most comprehensive wine course available in Beijing, second only to the WSET Level 4 Diploma (WSET global). Candidates will usually have completed WSET Level 2 Intermediate before studying for this course.

For further information on the WSET courses we offer, please click here.

Dragon Phoenix is the only WSET provider in Beijing that does not import wine. This allows us to expose our students to wines from the entire market, covering all WSET requirements and a few extra wine styles too! With comprehensive classes, tutors with extensive experience in higher education and a fun and informative learning environment, Dragon Phoenix offers the best wine tuition available.

Please click here for the Dragon Phoenix Newsletter for September, which has lists of wine events in Beijing and wine tips.

We are pleased to announce that Fongyee Walker has passed all 6 Units of the WSET Diploma and has graduated with Merit!

This two year course of study is the next level after WSET Advanced (Level 3) and involves 5 exams (4 of them including blind-tasting exams) and 4 papers covering 6 units in all. The Diploma is the pre-requiste for registering for the Master of Wine programme.

For the August issue, we offer a look at the wines of China. If you would like to read about Chinese wines and the current state of wine-making, please click on the title below

The Beijing August Grape Press: Homegrown Grapes

So the original That’s Beijing has now become The Beijinger! Confusingly, a new That’s Beijing has simultaneously entered the market. But we will continue to write for the loyal readers and old editorial team at what is now The Beijinger.

If you would like to read our July column on Sparkling Wines for Summer Drinking, please click on the title below

July 2008 The Beijing Article

If you would like to read our June 2008 That’s Beijing article, ‘Bargains, Budgets and Bottles: How to Find Your Way around a Beijing Wine List’, please click on the title below.

That’s Beijing June 2008 article