“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.

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

Until 2004, Pinot Noir was cherished mostly by “Pinotphiles.” Then the black comedy Sideways came out and with the virtues of Pinot Noir extolled on the big screen, sales rose. Such was the demand that giant US winery Gallo was even duped into buying a blended Languedoc red purporting to be 100 percent Pinot Noir.

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

Whether it’s a love affair with the grape or choosing that fine bottle to share with someone special, only fools rush in.

Champagne is often the first choice to whet just about any appetite, but its high acidity can be tough on stomachs, especially when served as an aperitif without food. Rosé wines can make for a cheerful mood, but not a lot of them are sold in China. As stock moves slowly, many are sadly out of condition by the time they are sold. While there are plenty of whites that make attractive partners, this month we’re focusing on that quintessentially Chinese color: red. But if you want to impress your date, don’t necessarily go for the well-trodden. Grand Cru Classé red Bordeaux may have a price tag that turns heads, but it is rarely seductive on the palate, especially when young.

This month’s wine selections are all hearty reds with plenty of body and staying power – lush, plush and what even wine professionals would term “sexy.”

“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.

Last month we looked at the heavily marketed – and variable in quality – world of Champagne. This time we take a peek at the broader sphere of sparkling wines.