This spot, Cheese & Wine Made in Heaven, takes a simple idea and runs with it, adding something different to the Chaoyang Park West Gate scene. But let’s call it simply “Cheese & Wine.” After all, wine produced in the vineyards of paradise is an unknown quantity. Hardly necessary when you’ve got racks loaded with bottles from France and Italy.

Wine buffs should pop a cork at the news that Enoteca is scouting for a second branch, this time in Sanlitun. Tomaz, manager of the current branch in The Place, tells us the task of pinning down a suitably sized location is well underway, and that the new branch will have more of a nightlife vibe, even selling wine-based cocktails. Enoteca currently has two branches in Shanghai with a third in the works. And here's a date for your diary:  April 24th, Entoeca's Grand Wine Tasting featuring over 60 bottles, a good chunk of the wine list that won them "Outstanding Wine Selection" at our 2010 Reader Restaurant Awards. Tickets cost RMB 200 and include a tapas buffet from 5-8pm.

“Grape Press” is a regular magazine column in which we recommend wines to suit various occasions and price points.

Chinese New Year is one of those festivals in which wine is now a gift of choice. Ice wine has in recent years become increasingly popular, and not only for gifting purposes.

But what is ice wine? It’s a dessert wine made from grapes which, in the Northern Hemisphere, are harvested as late as December or even January. Only healthy berries are picked in conditions around -10°C. After the fruit is pressed in the winery, the frozen water is removed, leaving only a thick, concentrated nectar for fermentation. In fact, the sweetness of ice wine affects the alcohol content. Most yeasts die when the alcohol reaches a level of 5-10 percent ABV – there’s just too much sugar for the poor yeast to survive! So if you see an ice wine listed as 15 percent ABV, it can’t be the real deal.

Controversy abounds in Beijing. A section of the city wants to become English-only, an exciting wine win is dampened by certain one-sided parameters, China has a strong showing at a plagiarism exhibit and pollution remains a heated health topic.

“Last Orders” is a regular magazine column in which we ask noteworthy Beijingers to imagine their final meal before leaving the city for good. This month’s host: Ignace Lecleir, general manager at Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB).

The venue

Preferably, the feast would begin at 11am in the morning, if not at dawn, and last all the way until midnight. I’d want to have the focus on the Chinese cuisine I’ve grown to love over the years. The menu will contain a selection of Chinese and Western dishes that would awaken my taste memory. I’d like to have my entire team, some friends and family to join me. The venue of my choice will be Temple Restaurant Beijing, where I’m currently working.